Paid time off

[NZinSG]

What is typical in Singapore contracts - I looked up MOM and they say 7 days annual leave for the first year, with max 14 after 8 years.

Is it typical in Singapore to have paid time off be a total of sick and vacation days?

They've listed paid company holidays - this number is different than the 13 public holidays - are they intending to say that company holidays are on top of public holidays, or they offer the slight difference?

(tried searching, but didn't look too much).

[ecureilx]

What is typical in Singapore contracts - I looked up MOM and they say 7 days annual leave for the first year, with max 14 after 8 years.

Is it typical in Singapore to have paid time off be a total of sick and vacation days?

They've listed paid company holidays - this number is different than the 13 public holidays - are they intending to say that company holidays are on top of public holidays, or they offer the slight difference?

(tried searching, but didn't look too much).

Any decent employer should offer 14 days.

That's my experience

[NZinSG]

They've listed 14 days, but it is 14 days for sick leave and vacation - unless I'm not reading that correctly and they mean 14 days of each...

[sundaymorningstaple]

If you fall under the Employment Act the minimums that are required by law are 7 days annual leave with an additional day added for every year of service up to a maximum of 14 days (this is the minimum - the median starting number of days of annual leave in Singapore is around 10 days to start - the maximum I have no idea about as certain industries definitely have higher annual leave allowances).

You are also entitled to 14 days of Medical Certificate supported Sick Leave per year. Also up to 60 days of Hospital Leave (supported by HC) Medical leave for both cannot exceed 60 days per year (if you max out Sick Leave at 14 days you only have 46 days available for Hospitalization Leave). However it is not construed as annual leave (it cannot be carried forward from one year to the next nor can unused days be encashed).

In addition to annual leave and medical leave there is gazetted paid public holidays (11 days except during a year with a General Election where polling day is also construed as a paid gazetted holiday making the total 12 for the year).

There is a convoluted arrangement for Child Care leave as well of up to 6 days a year and more in certain circumstances depending on your residency status. Too lengthy for here. http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practi ... care-leave

These are the minimums as required by law. Employers are welcome to give more if they want to, but cannot give less.

[x9200]

When once I almost switched my job in favour of one big MNC the annual leave was a major issue as they offered only 14 days. It ended up I was offered to have the difference (to what I requested) written in the contract as a non-paid leave and the salary adjusted accordingly. Win-win.

[PNGMK]

It's common IME for senior staff from another country (but who are not expats) to negotiate paid leave upwards from the usual 10/14 days to allow for time taken to return home annually to visit parents and family. I have done this several times in my career here and I usually settle on 20 paid days plus sick leave (which I try not to use) and the bizarre new child care leave I get because I have SC children. I have either argued I need the leave for visiting home or had it grandfathered in from other contracts. It's actually been REALLY hard to take the 20 days though.

[sundaymorningstaple]

PNGMK, I hear you. My problem is I'm the only one who know the payroll system in our office. Last Sept/Oct is the first time in 10 years that I was able to take a home leave that crossed a month end after convincing the owner two months in a row before I left that I could do it via TeamViewer.

But because I can't afford to go home every year or two he's allowed me to change company policy across the board from carryforward up to two years to unlimited carryforward. (Most of the locals sell their leave) currently I have about 62 days of surplus leave. Worth a tidy sum should I decide to cash it in.

Oh, I logged in about 4 eight hour days on the payroll from the US (4 hrs /night) so I asked him if I could claw back 4 days of my leave. He let me. Can't complain.

[NZinSG]

Selling leave? Back to the company?
2 year limit on leave? Wow, I understand the reason to limit risk to the company (e.g. your 62 days leave), but 2 years is nothing, you get to save up and take a month off after two years? Locals have to deal with this?

14 days seems so little coming from Australia/NZ which is 4 weeks annual leave a year.

I'll keep in mind negotiating for extra leave...

[PNGMK]

I had a UK contract for awhile that gave me 25 days per year.... Selling back leave is not permitted where I work - use it in the calendar year or lose it (except for 5 days).

[ecureilx]

I had a UK contract for awhile that gave me 25 days per year.... Selling back leave is not permitted where I work - use it in the calendar year or lose it (except for 5 days).

I had a local employer who gave 30 days, no cashing allowed, and leave must be used up by next April.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Selling leave? Back to the company?
2 year limit on leave? Wow, I understand the reason to limit risk to the company (e.g. your 62 days leave), but 2 years is nothing, you get to save up and take a month off after two years? Locals have to deal with this?

14 days seems so little coming from Australia/NZ which is 4 weeks annual leave a year.

I'll keep in mind negotiating for extra leave...

Our rank & file are limited to the recommendations of the Employment Act. The three department managers get another three days. I only get 17 days per year but I don't go home but once every two or three years. I've been with the company for 11 years now so I use leave judiciously, as I never know when I "have" to go home for a while (I lost my father 3 years ago. My mom it's hard to tell as longevity runs on her side so she might be good for another 6 or 7 years (I reckon mid 90's), or next year. One never knows so I've always stayed prepared. I don't take the random day off unless it something I have to take care of during the week work day. I've only used 3 days sick leave in the last 7 years (and two of them were for physicals only).

[sundaymorningstaple]

Good luck on the leave negotiations. You can bet it will be a rough nego if the company is local and the rest are on a fixed leave policy.

Be sure to check the company's work week as well. You would be surprised at the number of people who come here from a Western or heavily unionized country who only work a 35 or 40 hour week. The standard work week according the the Employment Act is a 44 hr week and a fairly large number of companies work a 5.5 day work week.

[PNGMK]

Give up any right for encashment of leave or carry forward to the next year in order to get more...

[NZinSG]

44 hr work week... Sigh. At least it isn't as bad as a teacher's work week...

I'll have to think on how I will approach further annual leave - you've each given me something to think about.

[PNGMK]

Unless your company operates on the weekend the 44 hr work week is usually managed by either ignoring it (i..e not working the half day sat) or by filling in extra time in the week days (8.5 hour work days except for Fri for example) or by accepting you do extra work at home. My work week was 36.5 hrs and went to 44 as well when I switched from a UK to Singapore contract but the work load is the same.