You can take medically certified sick leave or hospitalisation leave during your notice period. MOM says this does not change your last day of employment, and an employer cannot extend the notice period without mutual agreement.
Whether the absence is paid is a separate question. Check your eligibility and remaining sick-leave balance, notify your employer and follow the usual process for submitting the certificate. An MC still depends on a doctor's assessment; serving notice does not create an entitlement to a particular number of MC days.
Does taking MC extend the notice period?
It does not automatically extend it. MOM’s guidance says you remain an employee until the end of notice and sick or hospitalisation leave does not move that date. A different end date requires mutual agreement.
Imagine your confirmed last day is 20 November and you are certified unfit for work on 16 November. That absence does not, by itself, make 21 November your new last day. Keep the written notice acknowledgement and MC together if payroll or HR needs to check the dates.
Sources: MOM: sick leave does not change your last day of employment
Is sick leave during notice still paid?
Resignation does not remove an eligible employee’s entitlement to paid sick leave. Your service length and remaining allowance still matter. If your paid balance is exhausted, ask HR how the certified absence will be recorded and what pay treatment applies.
For employees covered by the Employment Act, both paid and unpaid sick leave count within the notice period. MOM says an employer cannot extend notice or claim short notice because of that sick leave.
Sources: MOM: sick leave on non-working days and during notice; MOM: termination with notice and the effect of leave
Sick leave, annual leave and unpaid leave work differently
Be precise about the arrangement being discussed. Taking approved annual leave while employed is different from agreeing to use annual leave to bring forward your employment end date.
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Arrangement | Effect on notice |
|---|---|
| Paid or unpaid sick leave under the Employment Act | Counts within the existing notice period. |
| Approved annual leave taken during notice | The employment end date remains unchanged. |
| Annual leave used to offset notice by agreement | The agreed employment end date is brought forward. |
| Other unpaid leave requested during notice | An extension requires your agreement. |
Sources: MOM: termination with notice and the effect of leave
What should you tell your employer?
Notify your employer promptly. The 48-hour rule concerns informing, or trying to inform, your employer of your absence; MOM says the MC can be submitted when you return. Use the company’s usual reporting channel.
Keep your message factual: “I am unwell and unable to attend today. I will update you after my medical assessment. Please let me know the channel for submitting any certificate.” If an MC is issued, follow up with the certified dates and the original document.
Keep handover information in a separate note: where the files are, who has access and which deadlines need reassignment. Coordinate what is practical in light of your health and your doctor’s advice. A handover discussion should not be used to predetermine an MC’s duration.
Can you use a teleconsultation MC while serving notice?
MOM’s recognition rule includes teleconsultation MCs issued by practitioners registered under the Medical Registration Act or Dental Registration Act. Serving notice does not create a separate type of medical certificate.
Describe your symptoms and how they affect your work honestly. A video consultation is an assessment; an MC and its duration depend on the doctor’s findings. If an examination is needed, the doctor may recommend an in-person visit.
Sources: MOM: recognition of teleconsultation MCs; HealthHub / MOH: using telemedicine safely
What if the end date in your leave portal changes?
Ask HR to identify the reason and proposed end date in writing. Check whether the entry relates to sick leave, another leave arrangement or a change you separately agreed to. Send the relevant MOM link with the dates you want checked.
If the explanation still does not resolve the issue, seek guidance from MOM about your circumstances. The clinic can clarify a certificate it issued; it cannot settle your employment terms.
Sources: MOM: sick leave does not change your last day of employment
Sources & editorial note
- MOM: sick leave does not change your last day of employment
- MOM: termination with notice and the effect of leave
- MOM: sick leave on non-working days and during notice
- MOM: notifying your employer and submitting an MC
- MOM: recognition of teleconsultation MCs
- HealthHub / MOH: using telemedicine safely
Sources checked on 1 October 2026. This original guide provides general information. It does not replace a consultation. Follow your clinician’s advice for your situation.
