In a bid to promote work-life balance and enhance caregiving support, Singapore is introducing a major update to its parental leave policies. These enhancements build on existing measures, offering parents more time to nurture their children while maintaining financial stability.
Singapore’s current parental leave system provides foundation support for families.
Working mothers are entitled to 16 weeks of government-paid maternity leave, provided the child is a Singapore citizen and the minimum service period with their employer has been fulfilled. For the first two births, the government covers the full cost of the leave. For subsequent births, employers will fund the first 8 weeks, with the government funding the remainder.
Fathers are entitled to two weeks of government-paid paternity leave. This provision encourages fathers to take an active role in caregiving, fostering shared responsibilities during the early stages of the child’s life.
Mothers may share up to four weeks of their maternity leave with fathers, enabling families to allocate leave based on their specific needs. This arrangement reduces the mother’s remaining maternity leave by the equivalent duration.
Singapore is set to roll out transformative updates to its parental leave policies, making them more inclusive and generous.
Starting April 2025, parents will be entitled to six weeks of shared leave, a significant increase from the current four weeks. By April 2026, this will expand to 10 weeks. Unlike the existing SPL system, these weeks will be calculated as additional leave and will not reduce maternity leave entitlements.
The shared leave will be government-funded, capped at SGD2,500 per week, ensuring accessibility for most workers. This flexible arrangement allows parents to distribute leave in a way that best supports caregiving responsibilities during the child’s crucial first year.
From January 2025, mandatory paternity leave will double from two weeks to four weeks. This expansion underscores the importance of the fathers’ roles in early childcare, promoting a more balanced distribution of caregiving duties.
By 2026, the total paid leave available to parents – including maternity, paternity, and shared leave – will increase to a collective total of 30 weeks. This provides families with an extended period of fully paid time to focus on bonding and caregiving.
These policies will apply to all parents of Singaporean children, including unwed mothers (for shared leave). However, fathers must be legally married to qualify for paternity leave and shared parental leave.
The enhancements address several critical needs:
The phased rollout of these measures allows businesses to adapt gradually. Employers may need to reassess workforce planning, including strategies for temporary staffing solutions and workload redistribution, to accommodate extended leave arrangements.
Government reimbursements will mitigate the financial impact on employers. However, businesses must decide whether to supplement salaries beyond the capped amount for employees whose earnings exceed SGD2,500 per week.
Navigating new requirements can be challenging. Let PayrollServe help you develop policies which are compliant, fair, and beneficial to your employee relations. We offer:
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