SINGAPORE: An intern was shocked by how her company reacted when she took medical leave.
She shared online that when she returned to work after taking a medical leave (MC), one of the HR staff at her company “kept rolling her eyes and staring at her,” as if she had done something seriously wrong. It made her feel like taking time off to recover was some kind of offence.
She added that she had already sensed this HR staff member disliked her and often viewed interns as “lazy” and “untrustworthy.” However, she did not expect such a strong reaction to something as normal as taking medical leave.
Things got worse when she fell sick again, which she believes was due to being overworked.
“I went to work super sick and was really shivering because the aircon was so cold, and I literally already looked like I was dying,” she explained. “Only my other intern friend was concerned for me and kept checking on my temperature and holding my hand to keep me warm.”
When she asked if she could go home early, the HR staff member allegedly “got mad” at her and denied her request.
“This company just stresses me so much that my period started becoming irregular, and I started having insomnia. With the lack of sleep and crazy work hours, I don’t know if I’ll even survive till the end of the internship. Is this what I have to step on in the future? Is this how Singapore workforce really is?” she wondered.
Taking medical leave
For something that’s completely normal, taking medical leave still feels strangely uncomfortable in many workplaces. In Singapore and in many other countries, there’s this quiet expectation among employees to endure and show up regardless of their health conditions.
In 2025, a Workplace Health and Wellbeing Survey revealed why so many people hold back from taking medical leave. Analysing 280 workplaces, the researchers found that 22% of employees feel their managers expect them to keep working even when they’re sick, and 14% feel that same pressure from coworkers.
Sixty-six per cent also admitted that they place pressure on themselves to push through their condition. Meanwhile, 26% said they worry about being judged, especially if they have recently taken a sick day.
Knowing your rights
Despite the existing stigma, the Ministry of Manpower states that employees are entitled to paid sick leave and paid hospitalisation leave if they are covered under the Employment Act, have served their employer for at least three months, and inform or attempt to inform their employer within 48 hours of their absence.
Read also: ‘I don’t think I can handle it for long’: New hire says constant unpaid overtime is already taking a toll
