GUIDELINES ON HANDLING ISSUES RELATING TO CONTAGIOUS OUTBREAKS INCLUDING CORONA VIRUS DISEASE 19 (COVID-19)

The Minister of Human Resources, YB Tuan M. Kula Segaran has issued a guidelines on handling issues relating to contagious outbreaks including Corona Virus Disease 19 (COVID-19). This guidelines provide answer to employers’ enquiry regarding preventing employees from attending work, especially those returning from countries with COVID-19 cases such as China, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

In this light, employers are to take the following actions:

1. To instruct employees to be examined immediately, at the expense of the employer, by a registered medical practitioner or by a medical officer as stipulated by Section 60F of Employment Act 1955.
2. To provide paid sick leave or hospitalisation entitlement during quarantine period to employees receiving quarantine orders from registered medical practitioner, regardless if the employee is quarantined at home or at the hospital. Employers are encouraged to provide extra remuneration to employees with quarantine order exceeding sick leave or hospitalisation;
3. To provide full pay to employees receiving quarantine orders from registered medical practitioner upon return from countries with COVID-19 cases due to official duty or instructions from employers;
4. To not prevent any employees from attending work if no quarantine orders are issued by any registered medical practitioner. However, employers are allowed to instruct any unwell employee from coming to workplace by providing paid sick leave to the employee;
5. To not instruct employees, in any way, to utilise annual leave entitlement or take unpaid leave during quarantine period.

Any further inquiries may be directed to The Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia:

Telephone: 603-8000 8000
Fax: 603-8889 2368
Email: jtksm@mohr.gov.my

Download MBAM Circular click here