Employers cannot arbitrarily order 14-day quarantine on workers - Ismail Sabri

Employers cannot compel workers to undergo a 14-day quarantine which is considered an unpaid leave after they had made an interstate travel.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that under the National Security Council (NSC) rules, only Malaysians returning from overseas were required to go for compulsory quarantine.

“Some states such as Sabah and Sarawak also require people returning from the Peninsula to be quarantined. Those who made cross-border journeys in the country are not required to be quarantined for 14 days.

"These employers ordered the 14-day quarantine without following the rules provided by the NSC. They did it arbitrarily. The problem is, they forced workers to a 14-day quarantine and it is considered unpaid leave.

“This is wrong for not following the guidelines of the NSC. The employer's action is wrong,” he said in a press conference here Thursday.

When asked what action would be taken against the employer, Ismail Sabri said the Human Resources Ministry could take further action.