H1N1 - Special sick leave of 7 days for those with H1N1 flu symptoms - different from normal sick leave, would help- What about it Minister of Labour?

With regard to H1N1, the Government could possibly come up with a ruling that all workers with H1N1 symptoms would be allowed to take 'special' sick leave for a period of 7 days, and that this will be different from the normal sick leave.

Many workers simply do not want to finish all their sick leave by staying away for 7 days when they have H1N1 symptoms (or what some flu symptoms), and they will continue coming to work. Most workers keep their sick leave for some real sickness, etc...

Some workers may have also finished their sick leave for the year, and will now have to take 'no pay leave' or even their annual leave - and this is not good.

If the Federal Government is serious, then they should do the needful to provide for a special or extraordinary sick leave - so that those with H1N1 symptoms will do the needful and stay home, and hence prevent infecting their fellow workers.

Selangor government just announced such a policy - but alas it only apply to all offices under the Selangor government...SAD - what about workers in companies owned by the Selangor government? Are they covered?

The Selangor government can also try to get employers in the State to agree to this, and follow this practice. A lot of calling and meeting bosses to be done ....and maybe a public listing of all employers that have agreed to this would help speed things on. Then, we will know which employer cares for the health and safety of their workers and which do not?

Wabak Influenza A H1N1 atau selesema babi semakin mengganas di Negara ini dengan Selangor telah mencatat kematian seramai 14 orang daripada 584 kes yang disahkan positif virus itu sehingga semalam.

Exco Kesihatan, Pekerja Ladang, Kemiskinan dan Kerajaan Prihatin, Dr Xavier Jayakumar berkata, surat pekeliling akan dikeluarkan kepada pejabat-pejabat di bawah kerajaan negeri untuk memberi cuti khas kepada pekerja yang mempunyai simptom-simptom H1N1.

“Siapa-siapa datang ke pejabat dengan demam kita akan terus hantar balik, walaupun tiada cuti, dah habis, itu tidak diambil kira, mereka di paksa duduk di rumah dan ini kita akan keluarkan satu pekeliling dari setiausaha kerajaan negeri Selangor kepada semua pejabat di bawah kerajaan negeri Selangor untuk mereka ambil tindakan-tindakan demikian atas pekerja-pekerja di pejabat masing-masing,” katanya. - Selangor Kini Online, 14/8/2009, Selangor Keluar Pekeliling Beri Cuti Khas Kepada Pekerja Punya Simptom H1N1