SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employee claimed on social media that her boss scolded her and implied that she was lying about her condition when she extended her medical leave to four days.

Posting on Reddit’s ‘Ask Singapore’ forum on Thursday (Jan 9), the employee said that her medical leave was only supposed to be for two days, but because her migraine didn’t improve and she developed a high fever, she was forced to extend it to four days.

She also informed her manager about her condition and even sent a picture of her thermometer to show how high her fever was. However, though she provided this proof, the director of the family business, an elderly woman who occasionally stepped into the office, remained unconvinced.

“She asked how many MCs I’ve taken since 2024 and told me I should get a full body check-up. I explained my situation and emphasized my history of migraines, but she replied sarcastically, saying, ‘You speak so well,’” she explained.

On the fourth day of her leave, the director also messaged her and told her that “in her 30 years of running a business, she’s never seen employees extending MCs like this”.

“She also mentioned how my absence is causing a worker shortage and that my coworkers might have to work overtime because of me. She even brought up how the company recently sent two engineers overseas, as if to highlight the additional strain,” she said.

The employee clarified in her post that she did not exceed her medical leave entitlement in 2024.

“This whole experience has been very upsetting. This month, I’m collecting my BTO keys, and next month, I’m getting married,” she said. 

“This situation has made me feel very low, especially since I was genuinely unwell and not trying to take advantage of sick leave. Is this normal workplace behaviour, or am I being treated unfairly?” she asked the community.

‘Your life and health should be prioritised more than your job’

In the comments, a lot of users felt bad for the employee and advised her to find a new job immediately, as staying in her current workplace might negatively affect her well-being. 

One user said, “Please start looking for another job. Your life and health should be prioritised more than y...