Singapore’s sick leave rules sit in section 89 of the Employment Act 1968. The structure is two-tiered: up to fourteen days of paid outpatient sick leave per year, plus a separate sixty-day pool that covers hospitalisation. Most Singapore employers know the headline numbers, but the qualifying rules, the certification requirements, and how the two tiers interact are where payroll errors creep in — particularly for newer hires and for employees who exhaust outpatient leave but then need surgery.
This guide covers section 89 in full: who qualifies, how the days accrue, what counts as hospitalisation, what an employer must pay, and the pitfalls that come up most often.
Key takeaways
- Employees covered by the Employment Act get up to 14 days paid outpatient sick leave and 60 days paid hospitalisation leave per year — the hospitalisation figure is inclusive of the 14 outpatient days.
- An employee qualifies for the full statutory entitlement after six months of continuous service; entitlements are pro-rated between three and six months.
- Sick leave must be certified by a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act or a company-appointed doctor.
- Sick leave is paid at the gross rate of pay, the same basis used for annual leave.
- Since 1 April 2019, managerial and executive employees are covered by the Employment Act’s sick leave provisions on the same terms.
The two-tier entitlement
Section 89 of the Employment Act 1968 sets a sliding scale of sick leave based on completed months of service. Once an employee passes six months of continuous service, the full entitlement applies:
| Outpatient (non-hospitalisation) | Hospitalisation (inclusive of outpatient) |
|---|---|
| 14 days | 60 days |
The hospitalisation figure is the total ceiling. An employee who uses 14 outpatient days and is then admitted to hospital still has 46 days of paid hospitalisation leave available — 60 minus 14. The 60 is not on top of the 14; it absorbs it.
For employees with three to six months of continuous service, both pools are pro-rated:
| Completed months of service | Outpatient | Hospitalisation |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 days | 15 days |
| 4 | 8 days | 30 days |
| 5 | 11 days | 45 days |
| 6 or more | 14 days | 60 days |
Below three months, there is no statutory paid sick leave. Many employers offer it through contract anyway, particularly in professional services, but it is not a section 89 requirement.
What counts as hospitalisation
The Ministry of Manpower’s hospitalisation leave guidance treats hospitalisation broadly. It covers:
- Admission to a hospital as an inpatient
- Day surgery requiring observation
- Quarantine on the order of a Singapore government authority
- Recuperation as certified by a medical practitioner following inpatient treatment
A doctor’s note that says “rest at home” without an inpatient admission usually falls under outpatient sick leave, not hospitalisation. The certificate itself should specify hospitalisation where relevant — that wording is what triggers the 60-day pool.
Certification rules
Sick leave must be certified to be paid. Section 89 recognises certificates issued by:
- A medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act
- A dentist registered under the Dental Registration Act
- A medical officer of a government hospital or the Singapore Armed Forces medical service
- A doctor appointed by the employer (a “company doctor”)
Employers can require an employee to see a company-appointed doctor for second opinions, but they cannot reject a certificate from any of the above categories without good reason. The Ministry of Manpower has historically taken a dim view of blanket policies that reject certificates from polyclinics or general practitioners — these are valid sources.
The employee must inform the employer of the absence within 48 hours. If they do not, the employer may treat the absence as unpaid leave even if a certificate is later produced.
Pay during sick leave
Sick leave is paid at the gross rate of pay — the same definition used for annual leave under section 43. That means:
- Basic salary is included.
- Fixed monthly allowances (transport, meals, housing) that are part of the contract are included.
- Overtime, bonuses, Annual Wage Supplement, productivity payments, and one-off allowances are excluded.
For hospitalisation sick leave, the employer pays for medical consultation costs at any government clinic, hospital, or company-appointed doctor — provided the absence is certified. Outpatient consultation costs are reimbursed at the rate set by company policy or the contract, but at minimum the gross-rate wage for the day must be paid.
Employer obligations
Singapore employers covered by the Employment Act have four core obligations on sick leave:
- Provide the statutory entitlement once an employee passes three months of continuous service, scaling to the full 14/60 split at six months.
- Pay sick leave at the gross rate — basic pay plus fixed contractual allowances.
- Accept valid medical certificates from registered practitioners, dentists, or company-appointed doctors.
- Keep sick leave records for the duration of employment plus one year, with absences itemised in pay slips.
Employees on probation are still covered if they have crossed the three-month threshold. Probation does not delay the accrual of statutory sick leave.
Common pitfalls
Singapore employers — particularly multinationals — often fall into the same four traps:
1. Treating the 60 days as additive
Section 89 is clear: the 60-day hospitalisation figure is inclusive of the 14 outpatient days. Some employee handbooks describe the entitlement as “14 + 60 = 74”, which over-states the ceiling. The correct statement is “up to 14 outpatient or 60 hospitalisation, with hospitalisation inclusive of outpatient”.
2. Rejecting polyclinic or GP certificates
A certificate from any registered medical practitioner is valid. Employers cannot insist on a panel-only doctor unless they pay for the visit. Rejecting a polyclinic MC because it was not from the company doctor is a frequent dispute and rarely defensible.
3. Forgetting the pro-rated entitlement at three months
Employees between three and six months of service get a pro-rated share. Treating sub-six-month staff as having no entitlement is a common payroll error and the kind of issue that surfaces in MOM complaints.
4. Underpaying by using basic pay only
The gross rate of pay includes fixed contractual allowances. Paying sick leave at basic pay alone, without the transport or housing allowance, undercuts the statute and is a common audit finding.
For broader context on how sick leave fits with annual leave, parental leave, and statutory holidays, see our overview of the main types of leave employers manage and our annual leave guide for Singapore.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of sick leave do Singapore employees get?
Up to 14 days of paid outpatient sick leave or 60 days of paid hospitalisation leave per year, with the hospitalisation figure inclusive of the outpatient days. The full entitlement applies after six months of continuous service; pro-rated entitlements apply between three and six months.
Are managerial and executive employees covered?
Yes. Since 1 April 2019, managerial and executive employees are covered by the Employment Act, including the section 89 sick leave provisions, on the same terms as other employees.
Does the employer have to pay for the doctor’s visit?
The employer must pay the gross-rate wage for the day. Reimbursement of medical consultation costs follows company policy and the contract, but visits to government clinics, hospitals, or company-appointed doctors for hospitalisation-certified absences are typically reimbursed.
What if an employee fails to inform the employer within 48 hours?
The employer may treat the absence as unpaid leave even if a certificate is later produced. Best practice is a clear, written notification policy that does not require contact in the first hours of illness.
Can I require an employee to see the company doctor?
Yes, for second opinions or for recurring absences, but the employer pays. A medical certificate from a registered practitioner remains valid even if the company doctor disagrees, unless there is evidence of fraud.
What happens to unused sick leave on termination?
Unused sick leave is not paid out on termination. Unlike annual leave, sick leave is a contingent entitlement, not an accrued one. The exception is contracts that explicitly grant payout, which are rare.
Putting it into practice
If you employ staff in Singapore, the practical to-do list is short:
- Confirm your sick leave policy mirrors the section 89 14/60 structure and pro-rates between three and six months.
- Check that your payroll uses the gross rate of pay for sick leave, not basic pay alone.
- Accept certificates from any registered medical practitioner, with company-doctor referral reserved for specific cases.
- Track outpatient and hospitalisation absences separately so the 60-day cap is enforced correctly.
- Keep sick leave records for the duration of employment plus one year.
A modern leave management system tracks the two-tier section 89 entitlement automatically, applies pro-rating for sub-six-month staff, and keeps the certificate trail clean — so the next time an employee needs surgery in their fourth month, the right pool is debited at the right rate without a manual recalculation.
Sources
- Singapore Ministry of Manpower — Sick leave (primary source)
- Employment Act 1968 (Singapore Statutes Online)
Last updated: 5 May 2026. This article is general guidance, not legal advice. For complex cases — including disputes over certificate validity or hospitalisation classification — consult a Singapore-qualified employment lawyer.