Global Compliance – Singapore
Singapore: Upcoming Amendments to Labor Law
On November 13, 2024, the Singapore Parliament passed the Child Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill (“Act”), introducing significant changes to parental leave entitlements under the act. Effective from April 1, 2025, expand the statutory leave entitlements for fathers and introduce a revised framework for shared parental leave.
Paternity Leave
Currently, eligible fathers are entitled to two weeks of Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL). Employers may grant an additional two weeks on a voluntary basis, reimbursed by the government.
Effective April 1, 2025, the additional two weeks will become mandatory, bringing the total statutory paternity leave entitlement to four weeks of fully government-paid leave.
Shared parental leave (SPL)
Currently, working fathers may share up to four weeks of their spouse’s 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) or Adoption Leave (AL) for Mothers. SPL must be utilized within 12 months from the child’s birth and may be taken in a continuous block or in separate weeks, subject to employer approval.
Effective April 1, 2025, the revised SPL scheme will grant eligible parents 10 weeks of paid parental leave, to be shared between both parents. The implementation will be phased as follows:
- From April 1, 2025: eligible parents will be entitled to six weeks of paid shared parental leave.
- From April 1, 2026: the entitlement will increase to ten weeks of paid shared parental leave.
This additional shared leave will be provided in addition to the existing Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) and Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) entitlements.
Take away- Employers must take proactive steps to comply with the amendment and must review and revise their policies at the earliest in order to align with the upcoming changes to the existing statutory requirements.
