Thinking of working in Singapore—or already part of the workforce but still unsure how annual leave works when you’re serving notice, on unpaid leave, or clocking in long shifts?
Let’s break down the key things you need to know about annual leave in special situations, including real-life examples and how MYWave’s HRMS can take the headache out of calculations and compliance.
🎯 First Off—Who’s Eligible for Paid Annual Leave in Singapore?
If you’re covered under the Employment Act and have worked with your employer for at least 3 months, you’re entitled to paid annual leave. And the longer you stay, the more leave you earn!
📊 Pro-Rating Annual Leave: What Happens If You Join or Leave Mid-Year?
Your leave is calculated based on how many full months you’ve worked in a year. View the graphics attached below for some examples!
Take note⚠️
If you’re serving notice, the notice period is included in the calculation. If you’re on unpaid leave, those days are excluded.
⚠️ Special Situations You Shouldn’t Ignore
Annual leave isn’t always straightforward. Here are real-life scenarios you might face:
- Half-Day = Full-Day 🕑
- Taking leave on a Saturday? Even if your workday is 9am–1pm, it still counts as a full day off.
- Carrying Forward Leave🔁
- Your employer must allow you to carry forward unused annual leave to the next 12 months.
- Took More Leave Than You’re Entitled? 🚫
- Oops—that extra time is considered unpaid leave.
- Shift Work Adjustments🕒
- If you work 12-hour shifts, your 1 day of leave is equal to 12 hours.
- Absent Without Approval (>2 Days) ❌
- This is serious—it’s considered a contract breach:
- You may have to pay salary in-lieu of notice,
- Your employer is not required to encash your unused leave.
- This is serious—it’s considered a contract breach:
🤯 Sounds Complicated? Let MYWave Handle It
Calculating annual leave in these scenarios isn’t just time-consuming—it’s risky if done wrong. That’s why companies across Malaysia and Singapore use HRMS system (emplX) to:
✅ Automate pro-rated leave calculations
✅ Track unpaid leave vs paid leave accurately
✅ Auto-adjust leave for shift work or notice periods
✅ Ensure compliance with government’s regulation and requirements
✅ Empower employees with self-service leave visibility
💡 Final Takeaway
Annual leave might sound like a simple benefit—but behind the scenes, it’s packed with rules, exceptions, and potential headaches. Whether you’re an employee trying to understand your entitlement or an HR team juggling hundreds of calculations—MYWave makes it simple, affordable, and works.
🔔 Ready to simplify your HR operations?
📞 WhatsApp Us
📧 Email us
🌐 Visit our website
💼 Let MYWave do the math, so you can focus on what matters most—your people.
