WICA Claims Explained: What Employers Must Do When An Employee Gets Injured

A supervisor calls: someone has fallen, an ambulance is coming, and tomorrow’s shift needs cover. Treatment comes first. But who reports the accident, pays the bills and protects the worker’s income?

Singapore’s Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) provides a route to compensation without a civil lawsuit. For businesses, the challenge is turning that protection into clear action.

MOM’s report published on 8 September 2026 recorded 21 workplace fatalities in the first half of 2026. That is a reminder to prepare before an emergency.

This guide explains the WICA claim (employer process), including where accurate records and payroll software support timely decisions.

From Injury To Settlement: 7 Steps Employers Must Take

• Arrange treatment and capture the circumstances

Make the area safe, arrange appropriate medical assistance and appoint someone to coordinate follow-up. Record the time, location, task being performed and witnesses. Preserve relevant photographs and CCTV footage before recordings are overwritten.
Do not decide eligibility solely by where the accident happened. Work-related travel and agreed working-from-home duties can qualify. An ordinary commute on public transport generally does not. For example, travelling to a client meeting differs from travelling home after a shift. Document the purpose of the journey rather than simply recording “road accident”.

• Check coverage separately from the insurance policy

Most local and foreign employees working under a contract of service or apprenticeship fall within WICA, regardless of salary or age. Exceptions include domestic workers and independent contractors.

Compulsory work injury compensation insurance / WICA insurance applies to all manual workers and non-manual staff earning S$2,600 or less monthly under MOM’s specified salary definition. This excludes overtime, bonuses, annual wage supplements, productivity incentives and allowances. A higher-paid office worker may still have a valid entitlement even where insurance is optional. Check the employment relationship first, then confirm the policy, designated insurer and declared occupation.

• Submit the required notification within the correct deadline

Understanding how to report a work injury to MOM (incident report / iReport) starts with the trigger: any outpatient medical leave, hospitalisation leave or light duty arising from a work accident requires reporting.

For non-fatal cases, submit within 10 days of first receiving notice of the accident. Fatal cases require notification as soon as possible and a report within 10 days of the occurrence. Occupational diseases have a separate trigger: report within 10 days of receiving the diagnosis.

Submit online, retain the acknowledgement and update the submission when additional certificates arrive. Keep submitted incident reports for three years. Store the acknowledgement alongside later updates, so another HR colleague can find the reporting history without relying on the supervisor who originally handled the accident.

• Notify the insurer and fund eligible treatment promptly

Contact the insurer as soon as possible and provide the case reference, relevant certificates and supporting evidence. Waiting for reimbursement does not suspend your payment duties.

Pay the clinic or hospital directly. Where the worker has already settled eligible bills, reimburse them within 14 days of receiving the originals. For accidents from 1 November 2025, medical expenses are covered up to S$53,000 or one year from the accident, whichever limit is reached first. Track receipts against the applicable accident date. Keep treatment payments separate from any eventual lump sum award.

• Calculate earnings before processing absence payments

Average monthly earnings (AME) generally reflect earnings during the 12 months before the accident. Overtime and bonuses usually count; transport allowances and reimbursements do not. Do not automatically substitute basic salary.
When checking a WICA compensation calculator (AME, medical leave wages), use MOM’s relevant tools and reconcile their inputs with payroll software records. Treat the output as indicative rather than a final assessment.

Certified outpatient leave and light duty share the initial 14-day full-AME tier; hospitalisation leave has a separate 60-day tier. The applicable rate subsequently falls to two-thirds, within the one-year limit. Only covered working days qualify.

• Apply the correct payment and CPF treatment

Pay medical leave wages by the next payday after receiving the original certificates. Configure payroll software so compensation is distinguishable from ordinary earnings.

WICA medical leave compensation is not taxable and does not attract CPF contributions. Actual salary earned while performing light duties remains subject to the usual CPF requirements; the compensatory shortfall is treated separately.

For example, a reduced-duty arrangement may involve both wages for work performed and an additional compensation payment. Combining them under one salary item can obscure the distinction. Ask the person reviewing the pay run to check each component before approval.

• Manage medical assessment and settlement deadlines

Where a medical report is requested, check the treatment provider’s details, send the form and pay the associated fee. Help the employee attend appointments so assessment can proceed when their condition stabilises.

For policies starting from 1 January 2021, the designated insurer issues a notice of computation. Employers wishing to object must submit their objection within 14 days of service. If nobody objects, compensation must be issued within 21 days of service. Assign these deadlines to a named person. The WICA claim (employer process) needs active follow-through beyond the initial submission.

Conclusion: 

An organised response gives an injured colleague clarity while helping the business meet its responsibilities. Records should connect what happened with what was certified, calculated and paid.

At Carbonate, we simplify daily HR tasks by connecting attendance, leave and rostering with our payroll software. We help teams organise the information behind pay decisions, while WICA reporting and assessments remain with the relevant authorities and insurers. Book a demonstration with us and strengthen your HR processes.