Its president, Syed Hussain Syed Husman, said taking mental health leave may not effectively mitigate the employee’s problem if the origins of their problem lie outside the workplace.

He said a workplace that provides strong social support, a positive working environment, employee satisfaction, and peer support would be more beneficial for those facing mental health issues than merely taking mental health leave.

The proposal for mental heath leave was raised by a human resources consultant on Oct 26. He suggested that mandatory mental health leave, or stress leave, be incorporated into revisions of the Employment Act 1955, similar to the provisions for sick leave.

Syed Husseain told FMT that the source of mental health challenges can be difficult to determine. He said MEF believes that employers have a responsibility to create work environments that minimise excessive stress and mental health risks.

He called for training for both employers and employees and guidance from government authorities before any mental health policies are put in place. Failure to do so would risk making such policies ineffective, he said.

Another business leader, William Ng, said employers should be encouraged to offer paid mental health leave, but at their own discretion.

“Companies should develop their own policies to address mental health challenges,” said Ng, who is chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association  (Samenta).

“This could include mental health leave as part of existing medical leave and requirements for employees who frequently take mental health leave to consult a mental health professional.”