Understanding Maternity Leave Policies in Singapore
Maternity leave is critical to supporting working mothers during the transition into parenthood. Fortunately, Singapore’s government and employers have been collaboratively enhancing maternity benefits and support for working mothers.
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With Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML), it is much easier for working women to balance their career and family plans. The leave period is also sufficient for new mothers to recover from childbirth and bond with the newborn.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to maternity leave in Singapore, covering the eligibility rules, the application process, benefits, sharing of the maternity leave period, and maternity insurance – all you might want to know if you are planning to have a family while being employed.
Eligibility for Maternity Leave in Singapore
Pregnant female employees are currently entitled to either 12 or 16 weeks of maternity leave. The determining factors of the length of your maternity leave are:
- If your child is a Singapore citizen
- If you are legally married to the child’s father
- If you have served your employer for a continuous period of at least three months before the birth of your child (working for an employer)
- If you have been engaged in your work for at least three continuous months and have lost income during the maternity leave period
Note: To find out how long your maternity leave will be, you can use the maternity leave calculator on the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) website.
Benefits of Maternity Leave
During maternity leave, employees are entitled to receive salary and compensation as per the prevailing laws.
Employers may choose to provide additional benefits beyond the statutory requirements, such as medical benefits, insurance coverage, and other support systems to ease the financial burden and promote the well-being of employees during their leave period.
Return-to-work arrangements are also crucial considerations. Employers are required to reinstate employees to the same position or a comparable one upon their return from maternity leave.
In cases where the employee is unable to perform the same role due to medical reasons, employers must make reasonable efforts to accommodate them in suitable alternative positions.
Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) Scheme
The GPML Scheme is a government support initiative to support eligible working mothers in recovering from delivery and caring for their newborns without the need to worry about work, as a solution to a low birth rate in Singapore.
Maternity Leave Application Process
To apply for maternity leave, you need to have given your employer at least 1 week’s notice before going on maternity leave, and inform them as soon as possible upon knowing your expected delivery time. Otherwise, you are only entitled to half of the payment.
Then employees will have to fill in application forms to apply for GPML. They need to provide necessary personal details, child’s information, and family declarations, and take signatures and approvals as needed.
The company’s HR and management will evaluate applications per eligibility criteria, and the company leaves policies before approval. They will be responsible for the start dates and end dates of the leave based on the indications the employee provided and the needs of the business.
Once the leave is sanctioned and dated, the employee can proceed to take the break accordingly, and your HR will assist with documentation for GPML for salary support during the leave period.
Both the employer and the government will be involved in paying the employee’s salary on maternity leave, with the distribution as follows:
| Child order | Paid By | Maximum Limit for Government-paid portion of Maternity Leave |
| First and second child order | The first 8 weeks are paid by the employer and the remaining are paid by the government |
|
| Third and subsequent child order | Fully paid by the government |
|
Shared Parental Leave
In the promotion of gender equality and strengthening family ties, Singapore also has paternity and shared parental leave legislation.
Working fathers whose child is a Singapore citizen are entitled to one to two weeks of paid maternity leave:
|
Child order |
Duration of paid paternity leave |
| Third and subsequent child order | 1 week |
| First and second child order | 2 weeks |
Note: The leave has to be used within 16 weeks after the child’s delivery. The payment quantum is SGD $2,500 per week. It must also be applied, submitted, and approved, the same as maternity leave.
It is also possible to extend the father’s paternity leave for two weeks, adding up to 4 weeks of paternity leave.
To ensure that the child receives sufficient love, care, and support from both the mother and the father, couples can also opt for 4 weeks of unpaid infant care leave out of a total of 16 weeks of entitlement allocated to them.
Planning Maternity Leave Dates
Working mothers have 100% control over how to make the best use of their leave. She can work it out with her employer to come up with one of the three outcomes:
|
Arrangement |
16 weeks |
12 weeks |
| By default
Includes non-working days, rest days, and public holidays. |
Take the 16 weeks continuously, starting 4 weeks before delivery. | Take the 12 weeks continuously, starting 4 weeks before delivery. |
| By mutual agreement
Includes non-working days, rest days, and public holidays. |
Start anytime within 4 weeks before delivery.
Example: If the expected date of delivery is 7 July, you can start your leave between 9 June and 7 July. You must take the first 8 weeks in one continuous stretch. You can take the last 8 weeks flexibly over 12 months from your child’s birth. |
Start anytime within 4 weeks before delivery.
Example: If the expected date of delivery is 7 July, you can start your leave between 9 June and 7 July. You must take the first 8 weeks in one continuous stretch. You can take the last 4 weeks flexibly over 12 months from your child’s birth. |
| Flexible leave calculation
Doesn’t include non-working days, rest days, and public holidays. |
8 weeks x the number of working days in the week, capped at 48 working days. | 4 weeks x the number of working days in the week, capped at 24 working days. |
It is essential to be transparent and open with the conversation with your employer so that they are aware of your needs and make relative accommodations, to ensure a smooth transition and return process for both parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the duration of maternity leave in Singapore?
Maternity leave in Singapore is 16 weeks for female employees who have served their employer for at least 3 continuous months and fulfill certain criteria such as the child being Singaporean and legal marriage with the child’s father. Otherwise, the maternity leave would be 12 weeks.
Do employees receive payment during maternity leave?
Employees on maternity leave receive salary and compensation as per the prevailing laws, with the government providing maternity leave pay based on average monthly earnings. Employers can also choose to provide additional benefits such as insurance coverage and medical benefits.
Can foreign employees working in Singapore use maternity leave benefits?
Foreign employees in Singapore are entitled to maternity leave benefits if they meet the eligibility criteria, similar to local employees. Employers are encouraged to provide support and guidance to foreign employees during their maternity leave period.
Are employers required to reinstate employees after maternity leave?
Employers in Singapore must reinstate employees to the same or comparable position upon their return from maternity leave, making reasonable accommodations if needed. It is essential for employers to create a supportive work environment to facilitate the smooth return of the employee.
Conclusion
Maternity leave societal implications for employers and the government’s contribution to the overall well-being of the employee, her family, and her productivity and retention.
It is of utmost importance for employers and employees to come up with a maternity plan hand in hand to ensure a smooth transition into parenthood and a smooth return to the workplace, which results in a win-win situation for both parties.
If you are thinking about starting a family, it is best to plan ahead to secure maternity insurance. Virtually all maternity insurance plans come with waiting periods that must elapse before you can file for claims on maternity coverage.
With over 20 years of experience in the insurance brokerage industry, Pacific Prime specializes in providing clients with insurance solutions from global insurers that suit their needs and budgets.
Contact our team of expert insurance advisors today for impartial advice or an obligation-free quote!
Since joining Pacific Prime, Eric was exposed to a new world of insurance. Having learned about insurance products extensively, he has taken joy and satisfaction in helping individuals and businesses manage risks and protect themselves against financial loss through the power of words.
Although born and raised in Hong Kong, he spent a quarter of his life living and studying in the UK. He believes his multicultural experience is a great asset in understanding the needs and wants of expats and globe-trotters.
Eric’s strengths lie in his strong research, analytical, and communication skills, obtained through his BA in Linguistics from the University of York and MSc in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Bristol.
Outside of work, he enjoys some me-time gaming and reading on his own, occasionally going absolutely mental on a night out with friends.
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