MC During Your Notice Period in Singapore: Does It Change Your Last Day?

Yes, you can take sick leave during your notice period in Singapore. MOM says that sick leave or hospitalisation leave does not move your last day of employment. Your employer cannot unilaterally extend your notice because of it. Whether those days are paid is a separate question, depending on your eligibility and remaining entitlement.

This guide covers employees serving notice and explains the difference between sick leave, annual leave and an agreement to finish employment earlier. For the complete entitlement table, see our Singapore sick-leave guide.

Does taking MC extend my notice period?

According to MOM's notice-period FAQ, you remain an employee until the agreed end of your notice. Taking sick or hospitalisation leave does not change that date. A change to the notice period requires mutual agreement.

Illustrative example: Your confirmed last day is 30 November. A doctor certifies you unfit for work on 24 and 25 November. Those two sick-leave days do not automatically make 2 December your last day. Keep the original confirmation of your end date and the leave record together so HR can check both.

Is sick leave during notice still paid?

Resigning does not itself remove paid sick-leave eligibility. MOM's guidance on special situations says eligible employees retain the entitlement while serving notice.

For statutory paid outpatient sick leave, you must be covered by the Employment Act, have served the employer for at least three months, be appropriately certified unfit for work, and inform or try to inform the employer within 48 hours of absence. Your remaining entitlement also matters. See MOM's eligibility rules.

If your paid balance has been used up, ask HR how the certified absence will be recorded and paid. Do not assume that a valid MC creates an extra paid allowance. MOM states that both paid and unpaid sick leave count within the notice period for employees covered by the Employment Act.

Sick leave and annual leave have different effects

How leave can affect a notice period

Arrangement	Effect on the end date
Paid or unpaid sick leave under the Employment Act	Counts within the notice period; it does not create a short-notice claim.
Approved annual leave taken during notice	The employment end date stays the same.
Annual leave used to offset notice, by agreement	The parties agree to bring the end date forward.
Other unpaid leave requested during notice	An extension requires the employee's agreement.

These distinctions come from MOM's termination-with-notice guidance. When discussing leave with HR, name the arrangement precisely rather than describing every absence as “offsetting notice”.

What should I tell my employer?

Inform your employer as soon as possible, follow the company's reporting process and retain your MC and correspondence. MOM requires notification or an attempt to notify within 48 hours; it says to submit the MC when you return to work.

A short factual message can keep the dates clear:

I am unwell and have been certified unfit for work from [start date] to [end date]. I have submitted my MC through [company channel]. My recorded last day of employment is [date]. Please confirm receipt and how the leave will be recorded.

If there are outstanding handover items, keep a separate list of document locations, owners and deadlines to discuss when you are able. An employment-end-date discussion and a medical assessment answer different questions; bring each to the relevant person.

Can I submit a teleconsultation MC?

MOM says employers must recognise qualifying MCs issued by practitioners registered under the Medical Registration Act or Dental Registration Act, including through teleconsultation. A doctor still needs to assess whether an MC is medically appropriate; it is not a way to book time off in advance.

Recognition of an MC does not automatically mean reimbursement of every private consultation fee. MOM's reimbursement rules distinguish public-institution or company-appointed practitioners from other providers, and company benefits may go further. For related employer questions, see our teleconsultation MC recognition guide.

What if HR says my notice must be extended?

Ask for the proposed new end date and the reason in writing. Compare it with your notice acknowledgement, the certified leave dates and the relevant MOM guidance linked above. Check whether HR is referring to sick leave, another type of leave or a separate change you agreed to. If the disagreement remains, seek clarification from MOM about your circumstances.

Common questions

Can my employer extend my notice period because I took MC?

Not unilaterally. MOM says paid or unpaid sick leave taken during notice counts within the notice period and does not move the last day. A different end date requires agreement between you and your employer.

Is MC during a notice period paid?

It can be paid if you meet the statutory eligibility rules and still have sick-leave entitlement available. Resigning does not by itself remove that entitlement.

Does annual leave affect the notice period in the same way?

Not always. Approved annual leave taken during notice leaves the employment end date unchanged, while annual leave used to offset notice by agreement brings the end date forward.

Can I submit a teleconsultation MC during my notice period?

Yes, if it is issued after assessment by a practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act or Dental Registration Act. Whether an MC is medically appropriate remains the practitioner's decision.

This is general information about Singapore employment rules, not a determination of an individual dispute. Check your coverage, contract and company benefits alongside current MOM guidance.