--- Document ID: GL-HR-014 Title: Staff Leave & Time-Off Guideline Owner: People & Culture (HR) Version: 3.2 Effective date: 1 April 2026 Next review: 31 March 2027 Classification: Restricted, Sensitive (Normal) --- # Synapxe — Staff Leave & Time-Off Guideline > **Classification: Restricted, Sensitive (Normal).** This document is for internal staff use only. It contains no patient-identifiable information. Leave records are personal data and are handled under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). > > **Synthetic training document.** All figures, names, and rules in this guideline are fictional and created for the AI Foundations workshop. Do not use it to make real leave decisions. --- ## 1. Purpose & Scope 1.1 This guideline explains the paid leave and time-off arrangements available to Synapxe staff, how to apply, and who approves each type of leave. 1.2 It applies to all **confirmed** full-time employees. Contract, part-time, and staff serving their probation period are covered by the terms of their individual letters of appointment, which take precedence over this guideline. 1.3 Where this guideline is silent on a matter, staff should refer to their letter of appointment or contact People & Culture (HR). See **Section 8 — Escalation & Exceptions**. --- ## 2. Definitions - **Working day** — a day on which the employee is normally scheduled to work, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and gazetted public holidays. - **Service year** — a completed period of 12 months of continuous employment from the employee's confirmed start date. - **Leave year** — the period from 1 April to 31 March of the following calendar year. - **HR portal** — the self-service system used to apply for, approve, and track all leave. Accessed through the staff intranet. --- ## 3. Annual Leave 3.1 **Entitlement.** Paid annual leave is granted per leave year based on the employee's grade and completed years of service: | Grade band | < 2 years | 2–5 years | 5–10 years | 10+ years | |---|---|---|---|---| | Associate / Officer | 14 days | 16 days | 18 days | 21 days | | Executive / Senior Executive | 16 days | 18 days | 21 days | 25 days | | Manager & above | 18 days | 21 days | 25 days | 28 days | 3.2 **Pro-ration.** New joiners and staff who change grade mid-year receive annual leave pro-rated to the number of completed months of service in that leave year, rounded up to the nearest half-day. 3.3 **Minimum notice.** Applications for annual leave of 3 working days or fewer should be submitted at least 3 working days in advance. Applications for more than 3 working days should be submitted at least 10 working days in advance. --- ## 4. Medical Leave 4.1 **Outpatient sick leave.** Confirmed staff are entitled to up to **14 days** of paid outpatient sick leave per leave year, supported by a medical certificate (MC) from a registered medical practitioner. 4.2 **Hospitalisation leave.** Staff are entitled to up to **60 days** of paid hospitalisation leave per leave year (inclusive of the 14 outpatient days), where hospitalisation or day surgery is certified as necessary. 4.3 **Submitting an MC.** Medical certificates must be uploaded to the HR portal within **2 working days** of the first day of absence. Sick leave without a valid MC may be recorded as annual leave or unpaid absence at the approving manager's discretion. --- ## 5. Applying for Leave & Approval Authority 5.1 **How to apply.** All leave is applied for and approved through the **HR portal**. Verbal or email approvals are not recorded and do not count as approved leave. 5.2 **Approving authority.** Leave is approved according to its duration: | Leave duration | Approving authority | |---|---| | Up to 5 working days | Reporting Manager | | 6 to 15 working days | Head of Department | | More than 15 working days | Head of Department **and** Divisional Director | 5.3 **Coverage.** Before approving leave of more than 5 working days, the reporting manager should confirm that work coverage arrangements are in place. --- ## 6. Carry-Forward & Encashment 6.1 **Carry-forward.** Staff may carry forward a maximum of **7 unused annual leave days** into the next leave year. 6.2 **Expiry.** Carried-forward days must be used by **31 March** of the following leave year. Any days beyond the 7-day cap, and any carried-forward days not used by 31 March, are forfeited. 6.3 **Encashment.** Unused annual leave is **not encashable during employment**. Encashment of the eligible unused balance is calculated and paid **only upon cessation of employment**, in accordance with the employee's final salary computation. --- ## 7. Other Paid Leave 7.1 **Childcare leave.** Eligible parents of a Singapore Citizen child under the age of 7 are entitled to childcare leave in line with prevailing Ministry of Manpower provisions. 7.2 **Compassionate leave.** Up to 5 working days of paid leave on the death of an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent, sibling, or grandparent). 7.3 **Marriage leave.** 5 working days of paid leave, to be taken within 3 months of the date of a first legal marriage. 7.4 **Examination leave.** Up to 5 working days per leave year of paid leave to sit for examinations of a course **formally sponsored or approved** by the employee's department. --- ## 8. Escalation & Exceptions 8.1 Requests that fall outside the arrangements in this guideline, or requests for an exception to any rule, must be submitted in writing to the employee's **Head of Department**, who may consult **People & Culture (HR)**. 8.2 Staff with questions about their specific entitlement or a situation not addressed here should contact **People & Culture (HR)** through the HR portal help channel before assuming an outcome. --- ## 9. Data Handling & Classification 9.1 This guideline is classified **Restricted, Sensitive (Normal)** and is intended for internal circulation only. 9.2 Leave records — including medical certificates and the reasons for leave — are personal data. They must be accessed only by the employee, their approving managers, and authorised People & Culture (HR) staff, and handled in accordance with the PDPA and Synapxe's data-handling standards. 9.3 When using an AI assistant to help interpret this guideline, **always verify responses** against the source text before acting, and do not upload documents above the Restricted, Sensitive (Normal) classification. --- *End of document — GL-HR-014 v3.2. Synthetic content for training use only.*