In the working world, medical check-ups appear at very interesting moments.
Before we join a company, we may be sent for a pre-employment medical examination.
When we are frequently on sick leave, we may be sent for a fitness-for-duty assessment.
And in certain industries, medical screenings are mandatory because it is not just about the employee, it is also about public safety.
But what are doctors actually checking during these medical examinations?
In this episode of BebelHR, I saw down with returning guest Dr. Eric Siew, former medical practitioner, and Victor Gan, CEO of E2 Workforce Consulting, to banter about the medical, practical, and legal realities behind workplace medical check-ups.
In this episode, we talked about:
• What doctors are actually looking for during pre-employment medical screenings
• Why conditions like high blood pressure may pass or fail a medical check-up depending on severity and risk
• Why having a “big heart” medically can actually be a warning sign
• Whether doctors help employees “pass” medical check-ups if the condition is manageable
• From an employment law POV, whether employers can rescind a job offer if a candidate fails the medical examination
• What “medical boarding out” means and how frustration of contract works
• How employers should manage employees placed on light duty mid-employment
• Patient-doctor confidentiality and why employee consent matters before disclosing medical information
• A real-life slip disc case shared by AuntyHR and how light duty recommendations can be handled at the workplace
• How doctors determine whether to issue 1-day MC, 2-day MC, or longer medical leave
• Employment Act 1955 Section 60F(1)(bb) and what “hospitalisation leave” can look like even when the employee is not physically warded
• Whether employers can demote or terminate employees who can only perform light duty
• The controversial question: How doctors detect employees who may be faking illness for MCs
This episode is a fascinating look into the intersection between medicine, HR, and employment law, and why medical reports are never as straightforward as they seem.
Streaming now.
xoxoxo, AuntyHR
