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Everything About Maternity Leave in Singapore Along with the Schemes, Entitlement and Required Information
Working mothers are entitled to either 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity leave or 12 weeks of maternity leave, depending on their leave eligibility.
Paid Maternity Leave Eligibility and Entitlement
You are eligible to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave if you meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Your child is a Singapore Citizen
- Your child is born or has an estimated delivery date (EDD) on or after 1 January 2017
- You must have worked for your current employer for at least 3 continuous months.
- You must give your employer at least 1 weeks’ notice before going on your maternity leave. Then, informed your employer about your delivery as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in getting half the entitled payment during your maternity leave unless you have a valid reason for not doing so.
- At least 3 continuous months being self-employed before the birth of your child and have lost income during the maternity leave period.
During your leave, you will get the payment of your usual monthly salary, and your employer can then claim from the government under the Government- Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) scheme.
For 12 Weeks of Leave
You are eligible to 12 weeks of maternity leave if you meet the following eligibility criteria:
- You are covered by the Employment Act
- Also, you served your employer for at least 3 continuous months before the birth of your child.
- You will get the payment of your usual monthly salary for the first 8 weeks of maternity leave if:
- Then, you have served your current employer for at least 3 continuous months before the birth of your child
- You have one living children of your own at the time of delivery. In the case when you give birth to twins or triplets etc., it will be treated as a single delivery and you are still entitled to 8 weeks of leave for your next pregnancy.
- You must give your employer at least 1 weeks’ notice before going on your leave. Then, informed your employer about your delivery as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in getting only half the entitled payment during your leave unless you have a valid reason for not giving the notice.
The remaining 4 weeks of maternity leave is unpaid. That said, whether your employer pays you during the last 4 weeks of leave is at the discretion of the employer and depending on your employment contract.
Shared Paternal Leave
Working father may apply for shared parental leave to share up to 4 weeks of their wife’s 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML).
If you are a working father, including those who are self-employed, you have the entitlement to share parental leave if you meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Your child is a Singapore citizen
- Your child’s mother is qualified for GPML
- You are legally married to the child’s mother
- Subject to your wife’s agreement
How to Apply
- Before you leave, notify your employer at least 1 week before.
- After your maternity leave, complete the declaration form (GPML1) and submit it to your employer.
- If you are self-employed, you may apply and claim for reimbursement via the online portal. You will need to submit your application and claims within 3 weeks from the last day of your leave.