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Covid-19: Fine, jail for employers who don’t make telecommuting arrangements where possible, staff who go to work while sick

SINGAPORE — Employers that do not implement telecommuting for their workers even when it is possible to do so could be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.

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SINGAPORE — Employers that do not implement telecommuting for their workers even when it is possible to do so could be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.

In updates to the Infectious Diseases Act published in the Government Gazette on Wednesday (April 1), the same penalties will also apply to workers who still enter a workplace even though they are unwell, as well as to employers that do not implement safe-distancing measures at the workplace or fail to cancel events that are not critical to their operations.

TELECOMMUTING

In the updates, the Act now states that for the purposes of preventing the spread of Covid-19, employers must direct their workers to work from home during this control period, and to provide the facilities necessary for workers to work from home, unless it is not reasonably practicable for them to do so.

An employer who fails to do this without reasonable excuse will be guilty of an offence and could be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.

SAFE DISTANCING

The same penalties will apply to employers who fail to implement safe-distancing measures at their workplace.

For example, they must segregate employees to minimise physical interaction, staggering start and end times and ensuring there is a distance of at least one metre between any two individuals at the workplace, including in queues at common areas such as the pantry or waiting areas.

These arrangements and measures taken must also be communicated to the employees, failing which the employer will be liable to a fine of up to S$10,000, up to six months’ imprisonment, or both.

CANCEL OR POSTPONE EVENTS

Employers must also postpone or cancel any events that would involve interactions among the workers, or between the workers and other parties, unless the event is critical to the company’s operations or it is a training or educational activity.

Those who do not cancel or postpone their events will be liable to a fine of up to S$10,000, up to six months’ imprisonment, or both.

SAFETY MEASURES

The updated Act also states that occupiers of workplaces must take these precautionary measures during the control period:

  • Allow natural ventilation in the workplace during working hours, as far as possible.

  • Take the body temperature of every individual entering the workplace.

  • Obtain and keep the contact of every individual entering the workplace.

  • Refuse entry to anyone who is unwell or who refuses to comply with the previous two steps.

  • If someone is found to be unwell at the workplace, the person has to be given a mask and told to wear it, leave the workplace or be isolated.

  • Employers must not permit and refuse entry to employees subjected to movement control measures to enter the workplace. These include employees issued with the 14-day stay-home notice or medical leave. 

The same penalties — a fine of S$10,000, six months’ imprisonment, or both — could be imposed on employers and occupiers of workplaces who do not implement these measures.

WORKERS’ OBLIGATIONS

Meanwhile, employees who are feeling unwell or showing symptoms must report immediately to the employer, through a supervisor if need be.

Workers and other individuals should also refrain from entering any workplace if they are unwell, and comply with all the precautionary measures that have to be taken by the employers during this outbreak.

Workers who do not abide will be liable to a fine of up to S$10,000, up to six months’ imprisonment, or both.

Related topics

Covid-19 work from home safe distancing coronavirus

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