Puzzled and angry!

Was surfing MOM website just now.

Happened to see the following :
'The employer may grant the employee unpaid leave, if the employee is not eligible for annual leave or has used up his annual leave.
The employer can deduct an employee's salary for excess annual leave taken within the same month, where the employer may treat them as unpaid leave and deduct the salary accordingly.'

Thought abt wat happened to me TWICE. Applied for leave for approximately 2 wks before going on leave n when I went back to office, annual approved leave became unpaid leave. The unpaid leave was deducted from my salary.

The first time I took it without much complaint, though I did. I couldnt control it the second time n complained abt it. I was subsequently being pushed to talk to the relevant department myself. The reply I got was 'The annual leave was being pro-rated n you have to 'earn' for ur leave'. No written email or notice was given telling people that leave has became pro-rated. When I asked for the written notice, the reply I got again was 'We will see abt it'.

Maybe I am not in the releavant line and do not know how they do their job, but how can anyone just take ur approved annual leave and tell u tat they have changed to unpaid leave? Then wat is the reason for asking ppl to apply for leave? Anyone could just take unpaid leave since it can be changed to unpaid leave even if the leave that is being applied was within the number of leave given in the year!

It left me puzzled for quite a while.