Under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019, a worker who is injured in an accident that occurs while in the course of his employment is entitled to Work Injury Compensation. This entitlement applies regardless of whether you are at fault for the accident.

DO NOT LISTEN to employers who try to tell you that your accident is not claimable and that you have to return to Malaysia immediately.

A claim for Work Injury Compensation is deemed to have been made as soon as the employee informs his foreman, supervisor or employer of the date and place of the accident, and the cause of his injury.

It is recommended that this is done via messaging apps, like WhatsApp or WeChat, such that the report is in black and white. However, it should be sufficient, in principle, for you to inform your foreman, supervisor or employer in any manner of your choosing.

To avoid possible doctoring of the accident location and to help investigators to visualize the accident scene, it is recommended that you take photos and videos of the accident location as soon as possible.

If you are concerned that your employer may check your phone and discover the photos and videos you have taken, you may visit http://0065.sg (a project run by our partners at FindWitness) and use the website applications to take the said photos and videos. The photos and videos you capture will be stored on the website’s servers and will not be discovered on your phone.

When taking photos and videos, aim for a wide variety of shots and angles. A slow pan across the accident scene is ideal. This will enable investigators to see more of the accident location and identify details relevant to your claim.

Do not rely on your employers to inform the MOM of your work injury. You are solely responsible for ensuring that the investigation into your claim is ongoing. To this end, you may call the MOM Hotline at 6438 5122 to follow up on your Work Injury Claim and ensure that the accident has been reported and that your claim is being investigated.

Under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019, you are covered for the cost of Medical Treatment and Expenses up to the sum of SGD$45,000.00.

As a result, depending on the severity of your injury, your employer may inform you that the limit has been reached and that you will not be able to receive further treatment. Alternatively, they may force you to pay for further treatment, or demand that you refund them for the costs of treatment from the compensation you receive. They may even suggest that you return to Malaysia for cheaper treatment and provide you with some compensation for your trouble.

Do not listen to employers that say this. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations 2012, the employer is required to pay for the medical treatment for Work Permit and S Pass Holders while they are in Singapore. The amount your employer is required to pay under this regulation is unlimited, but only applies so long as you remain in Singapore, even if your Work Permit or S Pass has been cancelled for a Special pass.

Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations 2012, your employer cannot repatriate you to Malaysia until the conclusion of your Work Injury Compensation claim, especially if doing so will frustrate your rights under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019.

As such, any employer who attempts to cancel your work pass and send you back to Malaysia after you have been involved in an accident is behaving extremely suspiciously and should not be trusted. If your employer attempts this, immediately contact MOM and the SAHC Hotline for assistance. The staff at the SAHC will render assistance to you promptly to protect your rights to compensation under Singapore law.