Currently, there is no separate leave for employees to utilise to undergo health screenings. However, this seems like it’s set to change as the Ministry of Health (MOH) has recently proposed that employers should be given an additional one-day leave for their workforce to undergo health screenings.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that the cooperation of employers in the public and private sectors was important in ensuring that their employees undergo health screening.
At a event after officiating the Merdeka@Parlimen Rembau programme held at the Kampung Seri Kendong community hall, yesterday (September 11), he urged the Finance Ministry to look into drawing up a regulation for employers in this country to provide such a day’s leave to their workers.
“When a worker wants a have a medical check-up, usually once a year, hopefully, the employers will give it. Otherwise, they will have to take it from their annual leave allocated.”
According to BERNAMA, Khairy said that employers needed to take into consideration the situation faced by the employees who might not have time to undergo health screening on a weekend.
“They are not able to do it during their working hours and they’ll be busy with their own family on weekends. In the end, they are unable to undergo health screening,” he explained.
“I’ve requested for this under the 2023 Budget as it will have an impact on the employers,” added Khairy.
Back in July, the low level of awareness of Malaysians, which was at 53%, in not undergoing health screening since one year ago was reported.
At the programme, Khairy in his speech, spoke on the people’s togetherness in ensuring the country’s capability of facing the challenges brought by Covid-19.
He said that the cooperation and support of the people had pushed the country into the endemic phase of Covid-19 due to their adherence to the public health safety measures implemented.
Do you think that a leave specifically for employees to undergo health screening is necessary?
