1 in 5 workers in S'pore feign illness to be on MC: survey

[BobMarley]

1 in 5 workers in S'pore feign illness to be on MC: survey

Posted: 17 December 2012 1334 hrs

SINGAPORE: Nearly one in five workers in Singapore admit that they have feigned an illness in order to go on medical leave, according to findings from an online survey by JobsCentral.

And about half of these respondents revealed they would do so three or more times a year.

A total of 3,299 employees and 256 hiring managers took part in the survey conducted from August to October this year.

77.7 per cent of employers said they would perform checks when their staff is absent due to illness. But most of these employers said they would rely on medical certificates to verify sickness claims.

Only 12.3 per cent said they would call the employee to check, while 5 per cent would go to the extent of asking a co-worker to check on the employee.

As to the reasons why workers faked illnesses, most said they did so because they did not feel like working. Another 30 per cent cited plans outside work.

When asked to describe their current job satisfaction, only a marginally larger proportion of workers who took bogus sick leave voiced discontentment with their jobs.

JobsCentral said this suggests that employees who feign illness to skip work may not necessarily be unhappy with their jobs.

Chief Operating Officer of JobsCentral Group, Michelle Lim said: "The survey results show that there is mutual responsibility and trust between employers and employees. A large majority of employees are honest when it comes to taking sick leave and few employers are so mistrusting of their employees to resort to invasion checks."

Ms Lim added: "As for the healthy 20 per cent who used illnesses to dodge work, they risk jeopardising their jobs and careers. On the other hand, an overly suspicious employer or manager that constantly checks on employees is also detrimental to work relationships; few employees would tolerate working for managers that do not trust them."

The survey also revealed that senior staff were less likely to take bogus medical leave.

Workers with gross salaries of over S$5,000 were least likely to fake an illness to go on medical leave.

- CNA/ck

 

[YewCharKuay]

all the geng king - mostly foreigners perhaps.

 

[kopiuncle]

sama sama lah....in any company or establishment, 90% of the MCs are taken up by the same 10% of the employees....in the initial stage, many foreign workers worked like siao. but now, they've all grown smarter. they know their rights and their privileges. so taking mc is a way to seek redress or to take a break from the hard work.

the same applies to singaporeans too. if management is good, caring and rewarding, the number of mcs will drop. if the management is hard driving and unforgiving, the number of mcs will rise. very simple...

it's not unique to singapore. it's a global observation.

many of us lau uncles and aunties don't take mc at all. we work until we drop dead....

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng says: who never keng mc one? hands up! all chow keng one lah!

 

[kopiuncle]

lianbeng says: who never keng mc one? hands up! all chow keng one lah!

i old uncke kiechew! work till drop dead.....bohpian

 

[Fishypie]

Just visit any Polyclinic comes each Monday's morning and it's clear to you by then..

 

[toolanliao]

i used to have a matland colleague that aims for 14 days medical leaves per year because he said he is entitled to it.

 

[JuliaScissors]

all the geng king - mostly foreigners perhaps.

I can attest that ah nehs are the No. 1 culprit! I think if i ask for proof all will kenna caught red-handed

 

[laksaboy]

If you want to stop this 'problem', then pay employees to not take MC.

Malingering usually denotes deeper problems such as a shitty working environment. The root cause is low morale - just like in NS.

If the working environment is awesome, I'd happily work on with a genuine illness.

 

[hairylee]

What to do. They cannot use golf as a excuse.

 

[Kuailan]

My wife works in a 5 star hotel, her colleagues will take
advantage of the 14 MC, to them this is entitlement sick or not
they will take MC just to avoid like mid nite shift, or coming long
weekend..or don't feel like working...

The Manager also take MC but she says she 's boss no need to work weekend
and mid nite shift, what an example??

MC queen should be fired!! hotel HR should take action against those who feign
sick MC!!

you know what race??

 

[ray_of_hope]

Fake MCs are the least of the concerns. One firm had previously done a survey that found almost 30-40% fake qualifications by the FTs now in Spore.

 

[kopiuncle]

give incentives to those who stay healthy, work happily and who do not use their mc entitlements.....but be careful hor...if sick you still go to work...you collapse...then it's two or three months hospital leave!!!!!....worse than mc kings and queens!!!

 

[mojito]

Immigrants!

 

[Bigfuck]

No as bad as Leegime 9 in 10 feign stupidity when asked to do work

 

[eErotica69]

lianbeng says: who never keng mc one? hands up! all chow keng one lah!

I got keng MC surely. But sometimes, I quite ill, I still go to work.

Depends on work volume!

 

[The_Hypocrite]

Well employers have themselves to blame for this,,,how come sick leave is not paid out to those who do not take it? and if the employee comes in sick, its the responsibility of management to send them home,,,but typical singkie attitude is u sick and u work is good,,than pass the flu to everyone else.

Good employers will pay out the sick leave to those who dont take it,,but they foster the 'use it or lose it' attitude,,so have take lah,,dont take i lose it hor. Typical employers complain that employees call in sick,,but dont even bother to promote good policies to prevent the system from being abused,,,if sick leave is paid out,,u think employees will malinger?

typical bullshit singkie employer complain,,,

My wife works in a 5 star hotel, her colleagues will take
advantage of the 14 MC, to them this is entitlement sick or not
they will take MC just to avoid like mid nite shift, or coming long
weekend..or don't feel like working...

The Manager also take MC but she says she 's boss no need to work weekend
and mid nite shift, what an example??

MC queen should be fired!! hotel HR should take action against those who feign
sick MC!!

you know what race??