Law amended to increase parental leave, mandatory paternity leave

A law was amended on Nov 13 to implement more government-paid parental leave and mandatory paternity leave, which had been announced earlier in August.

- Shermaine Ang

Under the amendments to the Child Development Co-Savings Act, parents-to-be will get another 10 weeks of shared leave on top of their current leave entitlement, bringing the total amount of government-paid parental leave to 30 weeks by April 1, 2026.

From April 1, 2025, eligible fathers of Singaporean children will also be entitled to four weeks of mandatory government-paid paternity leave.

The new shared parental leave scheme will be rolled out in two phases, starting with six weeks from April 1, 2025, and increasing to 10 weeks from April 1, 2026. This shared leave is to be taken within 12 months of the child's birth, and employees must inform employers at least four weeks before going on leave in a continuous block.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced these parental leave enhancements at his National Day Rally speech in August.

Twelve MPs spoke on the amendments at the debate on Nov 13, raising issues such as protections against discrimination for those who take parental leave and concerns of employers about the impact of more leave provisions on their business.

The two extra weeks of voluntary paternity leave currently will also be made mandatory from April 1, 2025, meaning that employers must grant such leave applications.