Signs and symptoms of SARS:

High fever of more than 38 degrees Celsius.
Respiratory symptoms including dry cough, shortness of breath or breathing difficulties.
Chills and shivering.
Muscle aches.

Keep him in a separate, well-ventilated area away from other employees. He should wear a facemask, if available, to prevent the risk of spreading any infection.

Call 9-178-8477 or 9-178-8478 to arrange for the employee to be transported to TTSH for assessment.

Take down the names, IC numbers and contact details (address, phone numbers) of the employees and others who have come into contact with the affected employee and give to MOH officers.

Only the people in close contact with the SARS patient need to be quarantined for 10 days for observation. This will be decided by the Ministry of Health. Those who have not been in close contact can go about their normal work routine in the workplace.

No. Only people who have come into close contact with a SARS patient need to stay home for 10 days under the Home Quarantine Order.

For added precaution and for the peace of mind of other employees, the company can arrange to clean the work area with a chemical household germicide or disinfectant and allow to air dry.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that persons travelling to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and Guangdong Province, China consider postponing all but essential travel. Unless absolutely necessary, you may also consider avoiding travel to the other SARS-affected areas - i.e. Beijing, Shanxi, Taiwan, Hanoi and Toronto.

You can still receive such visitors provided that they are well and do not have SARS symptoms. As a precaution, you may want to hold your meetings with these visitors in one location and not encourage them to visit other parts of the office. You may also want to inform your visitors of precautionary measures taken by your company, such as checking temperature 2 - 3 times a day and seeking medical attention immediately for any SARS symptoms, and suggest that they might want to do so as well.

No. Singaporean workers will be quarantined at home. There will be different arrangements for foreign workers, which are still being worked out.

Masks and gloves are not required for general cleaning of the office as the disease is spread through close contact. However, if a worker at the workplace is known to have SARS, the cleaners may wear masks and gloves when disinfecting the office. Hands should be washed after removing the gloves.

So far, there is no evidence that SARS could be transmitted via an airborne route. However, other common environmental routes are being investigated.

The employee is likely to have concerns including meeting work deadlines or fear of losing his job or income stream should he be put under quarantine. Employers should seek to understand and allay these concerns, and advise the employee that it is in his own interest to seek medical attention.

The employer should help the employees understand how the company will suffer if operations are disrupted, and how this would eventually affect them adversely. The employer should also reassure the employees that factors such as qualification, suitable training and risks to health and safety would be thoroughly considered.

Employers should take a flexible and enlightened approach in dealing with SARS-related issues in employment. In the event that both parties are unable to reach agreement, they can seek assistance from the Ministry of Manpower.

You should accept the Home Quarantine Order as a medical certificate. The period of quarantine will be treated as paid hospitalisation sick leave and part of the employee's hospitalisation leave eligibility. If the employee's child is being quarantined and he/she needs to be at home to look after the child, the Home Quarantine Order issued to the child can be used to claim child sick leave, if your company provides such leave benefits.

An employee is entitled to workmen's compensation if he is covered under the Workmen's Compensation Act, and if the nature of his work is such that he is exposed to the risk of SARS, for example, in the case of healthcare workers.

To cope with this unprecedented situation, companies could consider temporary cost reduction measures to stay viable and save jobs for workers. Measures could include wage reductions (preferably through the MVC), shorter workweeks or temporary layoffs. All measures should be taken in consultation with Unions and workers. MOM is available to advise and assist on measures that can be taken. Employers should also appropriately restore any reductions when conditions improve, and could also reward workers for their sacrifices.

No. Only employees who have been served Home Quarantine Orders (HQOs) will be compensated. However, employers are encouraged to adopt a flexible and enlightened approach in granting time-off, implementing flexible work arrangements as well as allowing employees to take their annual leave or no-pay leave.