Other organisations told CNA that their staff are expected to obey Singapore’s laws.
The Public Service Division (PSD) said all public officers are expected to uphold the highest standards of personal conduct and to comply with Singapore’s laws.
“Officers caught breaking the law on vaping will be subject to internal Public Service disciplinary action,” a spokesperson said, adding the disciplinary actions would be in addition to the penalties meted out by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) or the courts.
PSD declined to provide further comment when CNA asked whether the disciplinary actions included warning letters, suspensions or terminations.
Mr Ernest Phang, managing director of group human resources at OCBC, also cited Singapore’s laws prohibiting the purchase, use and possession of vapes.
Whistleblowing channels are available for employees to raise concerns, including those related to vaping, and reports are treated with confidentiality, said Mr Phang.
“Staff will face disciplinary action and penalties, if caught vaping or in possession of vapes,” though he did not elaborate on what these penalties could be.
WHEN MANAGERS VAPE
A former employee of a logistics company said one of her bosses vaped when he was stressed, even during work calls while on camera.
While colleagues in her team did not vape in the office, she had heard that staff in other departments did, said the employee, who declined to be named.
In a screenshot seen by CNA, the company had sent out a message reminding staff that smoking and vaping were prohibited in the office, stairwells and cafeteria.
“If complaints still come flying in, please don’t blame us for looking into a fine system!” the message said.
Other employees have also encountered senior staff vaping. For Ms Lim, who works in communications, the “biggest boss” in her previous workplace vaped indoors. She did not feel there were proper channels to report her colleagues for vaping.
“If the top guy is already doing it, then everyone else who vapes would also just do it without any fear of consequence,” said Ms Lim, who did not want her full name published.
