SINGAPORE: People online are criticising a manager in Singapore after an employee shared on Reddit that they feel unsure about taking 14 days of hospitalisation leave, because their manager seems unhappy with the idea.

In a post on the r/askSingapore forum, the employee explained that they had been experiencing “persistent stomach pain” and that a doctor had advised them to undergo a “laparoscopic appendectomy” — a minimally invasive procedure to remove an inflamed appendix.

“I’m lucky it hasn’t ruptured yet. My doctor told me I need not be warded, just some discomfort for a few days after. He said he will give me 14 days of hospital leave to rest up.”

However, when the employee told their manager about the situation and asked for two weeks off, the manager reportedly replied: “Wah, 14 days so generous ah, you cannot work at all from home?”

“By right, if I feel better a few days after surgery already, should I work from home? Manager sounded like I am going to skive over a small surgery, and I am afraid it is going to leave a bad impression. Is taking 14 days of hospital leave too much?”

The employee added that this wasn’t the first time this occurred. Last year, when they had “fever, chills, and other symptoms of COVID,” they had also asked for five days off.

“When I took 5 days off for COVID last year, I said I would wfh when I was better. Day 3 he sent a message asking where are we on this task I was working on, the task was non-urgent by the way.”

“Don’t work from home even if you feel better.”

In the comments, readers criticised the manager for being “annoying,” “toxic,” and lacking sympathy for his employee.

One wrote: “Huh? If your doctor’s view is that you should take 14 days, you should take 14 days. Tell your manager that it is your doctor’s professional opinion that you should take 14 days!! If your recovery is impeded by lack of rest, how? Your company is going to compensate you, is it??”

Another advised the employee to ignore the manager’s remarks, pointing out that employees are entitled to hospitalisation leave.

They said: “Do note you are entitled to 60 days of hospitalisation leave. This is not your 14 days of MC, which is the one for flu/cough/whatever. Please just take the hospitalisation leave and rest. No work should be done. Your manager got a problem; you escalated to HR. As an HR person, I also don’t want you to be working if you’re on hospitalization leave.”

A third commenter urged the employee not to delay the operation, writing: “I suggest that you do the surgery because if your appendix ruptures, then it would require a more complex surgery and longer rest period.”

A fourth remarked: “What a bad manager.”

A fifth added: “If the doctor gave you hospitalisation leave, just take it because you’re supposed to rest. They don’t give it out for fun one la. Don’t work from home even if you feel better—medical leave for a legit reason is your entitlement.”

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), eligible employees covered by the Employment Act who have served their employer for at least three months are entitled to paid hospitalisation leave.

Employees who have served for three months are entitled to 15 days of hospitalisation leave, while those who have served four, five, and six months are entitled to 30, 45, and 60 days, respectively.

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This article (‘You cannot work at all from home?’: Redditors slam manager after employee requests leave for appendix surgery) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.