SHN will not be paid leave for those who choose to travel: Minister Lawrence Wong

Singapore has issued an advisory encouraging residents to defer all non-essential travel, and for those who choose to go ahead with their travel plans, the 14-day Stay Home Notice (SHN) upon their return will not be on paid leave. 

"It is not quite like the current situation where you are caught or if you are coming back, the SHN is issued to you, you can take 14 days of SHN and it is paid leave," said Minister Lawrence Wong, Co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on COVID-19, on March 17. 

Photo: Connected to India
Photo: Connected to India

In addition, the employer will also not be entitled to claim the SGD 100 allowance that the Singapore government had previously put in place to help employers.

"The advisory has already been put in place – you are not supposed to travel. And if people still wish to, then they have to take responsibility for their actions," Wong said in a press conference. 

Emphasising the need for Singapore residents to defer their travel plans, he added, "It puts everyone at risk – you put yourself at risk, you put your family members and people around you at risk."