When your helper is sick or injured: what employers need to organise

By APEX Maids Agency Pte. Ltd. · MOM EA Licence 25C3180 · UEN 202547196H. Based in Jurong West and serving households across Singapore. Our website is apexmaids.sg and our phone is 8405 6661.

First step: professional medical care

If your helper is sick or injured, take her to a doctor or clinic. Do not delay medical care while sorting out insurance, receipts or administrative questions. For treatment in Singapore, employers are responsible for the medical costs necessary for the helper's health during employment. Overseas personal travel is addressed separately below. MOM's well-being guidance includes providing access to medical care.

• Take her to the nearest clinic or hospital appropriate for the condition.
• For an emergency, contact the appropriate emergency healthcare service directly; do not wait for an agency enquiry or insurance paperwork.
• Offer help with travel or communication if she wants it and the clinic permits it. Respect her ability to speak privately with healthcare staff. The separate 6ME rules are explained in the 6ME guide.
• Keep all receipts and medical documents from the visit.

Rest and recovery

A helper who is sick needs rest, not a reduced workload. If the doctor prescribes rest or medical leave, provide it. Arrange family backup for household duties during her recovery rather than expecting her to continue working while unwell.

MOM's well-being guidance requires adequate rest and accommodation. A sick helper in a shared living space may need additional consideration: access to a bathroom, fluids, meals she can eat and privacy to rest.

Employer medical responsibilities and insurance

Employer medical responsibilities and the insurance policy are related but separate:

• Employer responsibility. For treatment in Singapore, the employer must bear medical costs necessary for the helper's health, including outpatient and hospitalisation costs. This is an employer obligation, not conditional on insurance paying out first. MOM's insurance requirements set minimum coverage, but the employer's responsibility is not limited to what the policy covers.
• Insurance. The insurer settles covered costs under the actual policy and applicable payment arrangements. Coverage, exclusions and claims procedures need checking; not every cost is automatically covered. Check the actual policy for what is covered, the claim process and any required documentation. An insurance claim is separate from providing timely care.
• Do not delay care for insurance reasons. Get the medical care first. Submit the insurance claim afterwards with the receipts and documents.

Do not deduct the helper's medical expenses from her salary or ask her to co-pay them. A private agreement is not a workaround. MOM's medical-cost FAQ says employers cannot make an MDW pay medical expenses, including costs beyond insurance cover; its MDW salary guidance expressly rules out medical-expense deductions.

Receipts and documentation

• Keep every receipt, referral letter, prescription and medical certificate.
• Keep the information needed for administration and legitimate insurance claims, with appropriate permission and regard for the helper's medical privacy. Do not collect or share extra diagnoses merely for an agency enquiry.
• Submit insurance claims according to the insurer's requirements and timeline.
• A receipt does not guarantee reimbursement. Read the policy terms for exclusions and limits.

Family backup during recovery

While the helper is recovering, someone else needs to cover her duties. Plan this before it happens:

• Identify which tasks are essential (child pickup, elderly care, meals) and which can wait (deep cleaning, ironing).
• Agree which family member covers each essential task.
• If recovery is extended, adjust the household routine or arrange lawful childcare, care or household services. Do not borrow another household's domestic helper.

What if the helper needs hospitalisation?

Visit her. Ensure she has what she needs: toiletries, a change of clothes, a way to contact her family. Help with communication if she has difficulty speaking with medical staff. Keep the hospital documents for the insurance claim. For treatment in Singapore, medical-cost responsibilities apply to necessary hospitalisation as well as outpatient care.

Ongoing or recurring illness

If the helper has a recurring condition that affects her ability to work, discuss the situation honestly with her. Check whether the employment can continue with adjustments, or whether a different arrangement is needed. The employer's obligations continue for the duration of the employment; ending the employment to avoid medical costs is not appropriate and may have consequences under the employment terms and MOM's requirements.

If the employment ends, the employer's obligations regarding repatriation, outstanding salary and final medical costs apply. See end-of-contract checklist and MOM's contracts and safety agreement guidance.

MDWs and the Employment Act

Foreign domestic workers are excluded from the Employment Act. Do not apply Employment Act sick-leave quotas to MDWs. The helper's entitlements depend on the employment contract terms and MOM's conditions for FDW employment. Check the actual contract and MOM's requirements rather than applying Employment Act provisions.

Related planning guides

Check the insurance and salary terms alongside the welfare responsibilities.

• Insurance requirements and coverage
• Salary payment and records