Having a staff member going on reservist to serve in the military can be a disruption to your business. Here are some guidelines to be aware of.

Business owners employing NSmen need to be aware of the rights and responsibilities of both themselves and their employees. Here are the basics.

Taking leave

From around 18 years of age, every male Singaporean citizen does two years of national service and remains in the defence forces (on a reserve basis) until age 40, or 50 if a commissioned officer. NSmen can be called for up to 40 days of national service every year.

Barring a national emergency, there will always be plenty of notice, allowing lots of time for their employer to make arrangements for their absence. It is your employee's responsibility to supply you with a copy of their SAF100 form, which states the dates they will be called up, and have you sign it to acknowledge you have seen and accepted it.

Generally, you can expect the following notification times:

Your employee should be reminded to keep his contact details current so as to avoid any delays in notification. Be aware that if you're sending an NSman employee on an overseas business assignment for more than six months, he will need to obtain an exit permit prior to departure. (If the trip is for less than six months, it will be his own responsibility to contact the Ministry of Defence.)

Getting paid

Service pay is provided to your staff while they are on national service. If there is a shortfall between their civilian salary and their service pay, they can apply for make-up pay (MUP). This can be done directly by the employee, or the employer can apply for reimbursement on the employee's behalf.

Keeping in touch

Employees are advised to keep family and employers informed about their whereabouts and provide the unit code word if contact is necessary. Mobilisation can be via telephone, SMS, pager, fax, email or written notices and orders.

Deferments

Generally work commitments are not grounds for deferment given the generous notification periods provided to servicemen. Applications can be made on compassionate grounds or if an NSman has to sit an examination, has just started a new job and/or is employed in a newly established business.

Recognition for employers

Employees who receive strong support from their employer can nominate them for a Total Defence Award (TDA). If your company employs five or more servicemen, you are eligible to nominate yourself for a TDA.

There's no getting around the fact that employing someone who has to periodically take leave to serve in the military can mean some disruption for business owners. But if you take note of all the tips above and plan ahead, you’ll minimise disruptions to your operations and help limit any potential loss of income.