SINGAPORE: Certis, in an internal memo sent to staff members on Wednesday (Jul 2), said it recognised that the way its “care visit” policy was perceived had caused concern and discomfort.
The memo, seen by CNA on Thursday, was in response to backlash from its medical leave policy.
The policy requires officers to remain at home if on sick leave. Managers may also check in on them, particularly those on extended medical leave, including visiting the employee’s home with “small care gestures”, Certis previously said in response to CNA queries.
Certis also previously required employees on medical leave to share their “live” location if they were not at home.
The security firm, following consultation with the Union of Security Employees (USE), has since agreed to stop location tracking of officers on medical leave.
In the memo, Chief Human Resources Officer Jaclyn Lee said the care visit policy was meant to be a way to check in on employees when they are unwell.
“It was to ensure our officers are safe and to offer support, especially during extended periods of medical leave,” Dr Lee said.
“But we now recognise that the way it was rolled out, communicated, and perceived caused concern and discomfort.”
Dr Lee also reiterated that termination would only be considered in serious cases, such as proven dishonesty, and will always follow a “thorough and fair” process.
Referencing the decision to stop location tracking of officers on sick leave, Dr Lee noted it was a key area of concern.
“This step reflects our commitment to protecting your privacy while keeping lines of care open,” she said.
Certis is also working closely with USE to review its approach to care visits, and to improve how it supports its employees going forward, Dr Lee said.
USE previously said it is discussing with the Certis management on ways to strengthen their internal communications with their officers, so that policies and practices are clearly explained and their officers’ concerns can be addressed early.
“USE and Certis has agreed to co-organise regular monthly engagement sessions with Certis officers, providing a platform for ongoing dialogue and feedback,” USE executive secretary Shirley Loo had said.
Acknowledging that frontline roles are demanding “in every sense”, Dr Lee thanked employees for their hard work, resilience and service.
“We’re committed to learning from this, and to building a workplace where trust, support, and respect are not just values, but lived experiences,” she said.
