Certis to cease tracking live location of officers on sick leave, says union

Security company Certis has agreed to roll back its latest mandate that required employees on sick leave to share their live location if they are not at home, following discussions with the Union of Security Employees (USE).

"Certis, which is unionised under USE, has agreed to do so, and there will be no location tracking of officers on medical leave," it said in a statement on Tuesday (July 1).

USE, an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), said that the decision comes after a meeting with Certis management.

The union also said that officers should use their medical leave to rest, and that they "do not condone any abuse of medical leave as such behaviour undermines trust and affects the wellbeing of the fellow officers".

Certis' sick leave policy made headlines recently after an employee alerted the media regarding an update to the policy which required officers on sick leave to share their live location if they are found not to be at home during unannounced house visits.

Staff that did not comply would be sent a letter of warning, and risk disciplinary action, including termination, reported local news outlets.

In its statement, USE said that it will work with Certis management to strengthen internal communications with officers, so that policies and practices are clearly explained and their officers' concerns can be addressed early.

To do so, USE and Certis will be co-organising regular monthly engagement sessions with Certis officers, which will serve as a venue for officers to discuss any issues and provide feedback.

"The union remains committed to protecting the rights and welfare of our security officers and ensuring that workplace policies and practices are applied in a fair and transparent manner," said USE.

Policy meant to 'address instances of system misuse': Certis

The Singapore-headquartered security company also released a statement on Tuesday night, saying that it is "actively engaging" with USE to review current processes and strengthen engagement with employees.

"We wish to clarify that the policy applies only to our frontline officers. We conduct care visits only under compelling circumstances, such as when officers are on frequent or extended medical leave," Certis said, adding that the visits can be to the officers' homes, or to the hospitals if they are hospitalised.

At the same time, Certis said that the intent of such follow-ups is "not punitive", but to understand if officers require additional support and to make manpower planning more efficient.

"In vast majority of the cases where medical leave is genuinely taken, such visits are often well-received by our officers," they said.

Certis also noted that there have been "a very small number of cases where individuals have misused medical leave", with some individuals using sick leave to go overseas. 

Certis condemned the "irresponsible behaviours", explaining that such instances negatively impact team resourcing.

They also added that the policy was meant to "address instances of system misuse", to "ensure fairness and maintain operational readiness" amid tough labour market conditions.

At the same time, Certis firmly rejected rumours of employees being terminated solely as a result of non-compliance to these policies.

"Termination of employment is decided upon the severity of an officer's misconduct, such as proven malingering, and only taken as a last resort after an extensive and fair process," Certis said.

"We are working with USE to review the current processes around the care visits, and will partner them to strengthen our engagement with employees to ensure greater clarity around our policies and to reinforce our commitment to fair and respectful treatment of all staff."

Employees should use sick leave 'responsibly': MOM

In response to AsiaOne's queries, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that employers and employees should discuss and work out mutually beneficial arrangements for employment. 

MOM said it encourages employers to regularly engage employees to address concerns and ensure that their company employment policies are well-communicated, to build trust and create a positive workplace culture.

"Sick leave is a statutory entitlement and employees should be able to take sick leave to address their health needs, while using it responsibly," the spokesperson said, adding that employers must not discourage employees from taking sick leave when ill.

If there is a suspected case of misconduct, employers should engage employees and conduct thorough investigations before deciding on disciplinary action, said MOM.

"For example, there could be legitimate reasons as to why an employee might not be at home when ill. This should not be taken as conclusive evidence of misconduct," it added.

dana.leong@asiaone.com

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