How to write a letter to an employee who turned in a fake MC

Although taking a break from a demanding job is not inherently harmful, some employees exploit medical leaves(MC) to take time off. As a result, they end up delegating their task to their coworkers at the eleventh hour. Faking an MC is not good for morale, and it is much worse for the bottom line, as the loss of a person's day's worth of work can result in financial losses and a significant fall in productivity, particularly if the MC was taken unexpectedly.

According to a study by Jobstreet, at least 26% of Malaysian employees have falsified their MCs to obtain a free day off. And these are only the individuals who admitted to their transgression, as 57% of employers claim to have previously received a phoney MC from an employee. 

A couple of years ago, clinics issuing phoney MCs was a controversial topic, not to mention printing businesses that can copy an MC if they have the template and the tools. With the anonymity of the internet, purchasing MCs is now much more convenient online. As with a black market business, these movements evade detection through WhatsApp-only conversations, recommendation-based marketing, and, in one instance, by encasing all of their messages (including contact information and payment methods) in images, making them unGoogleable.

According to the legislation, forging an MC is a punishable offence. In a 2016 report by the Malaysian Digest, an officer of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was cited as saying that submitting a medical certificate is the same as submitting a claim, a receipt, or an invoice, and therefore submitting such forgeries is a violation of Section 18 of the MACC Act.

 

Sample Letter

Dear [name]

RE: SICK CERTIFICATE PRESUMED TO BE FAKE

We received a sick certificate from you to the management on the [date]. This sick certificate supposedly issued by Klinik Kesihatan [name of the clinic] for [number of days] days from the [date] date to the [date] date is presumed fake since we checked with the clinic, and the personnel there confirmed this fact.

The submission of a fake document, be it a sick certificate is not only a severe misconduct but a crime according to the Malaysian Penal Code. Due to this, we have commenced our internal investigation on the matter. Suppose you are found guilty of the offence. In that case, we will not only take severe disciplinary action against you, which could include the dismissal of your employment with the company but will lodge an appropriate report against you with the relevant authorities, including the police.

However, whilst we proceed with our investigation, we are providing you with an opportunity to defend your actions in proving that the said sick certificate is genuine. Therefore, within 3 (three) days from the date of this letter, we require you to obtain an official letter from the said Government Clinic on the authenticity of the sick certificate in writing. Failure to obtain the necessary clarification will consider the sick certificate deemed fake, and without further notice, we will proceed with the required disciplinary action.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Important Keynote

While sending the mentioned letter to the personnel, you must explain its contents and the repercussions. Inform the individual that if they report the clinic to the police, they will be charged with defrauding a government department, which is punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment. Please use psychology and make an impression on the employees you are assisting by providing them with a letter from the clinic. At this point, you will receive the resignation letter and to avoid disciplinary action; you must indicate your acceptance of the resignation in the acceptance letter.

 

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