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"In considering any enhancement to leave provisions, we need to strike a balance between supporting the needs of parents and the impact on employers’ manpower and operational requirements," the minister affirmed.
Given Singapore's ongoing efforts to support parents and encourage higher birth rate, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong was recently asked in a Parliamentary query if the Finance Ministry will consider increasing the current allocation of six days of childcare leave per calendar year.
Responding on behalf of PM Wong, Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and Second Minister for Finance and National Development, noted that the ministry has progressively enhanced parental leave provisions over the years, with the most recent improvement being the increase in government-paid paternity leave from two to four weeks on a voluntary basis, which was implemented on 1 January 2024.
In addition to the increase, Minister Indranee also shared about the increase in unpaid infant care leave days, from six to 12 days per parent per year, in their child’s first two years. This increase took effect on 1 January 2024.
The minister said: "We are presently studying how to strengthen parental leave support for those with infants who typically have high care needs.
"In considering any enhancement to leave provisions, we need to strike a balance between supporting the needs of parents and the impact on employers’ manpower and operational requirements.
"Therefore, beyond legislated leave provisions, we also encourage other sustainable ways that support parents in juggling work and caregiving commitments, such as flexible work arrangements (FWAs)," she explained.
Minister Indranee went on to highlight that the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests will take effect on 1 December 2024 and that these mandatory guidelines are designed to facilitate open discussions between employers and employees, helping them to develop arrangements that address the needs and constraints of both parties.
"It is also critical for our workplaces to have a family-friendly culture, where parents are supported in tapping on these measures when required.
"We encourage employers, supervisors, and colleagues, to play their part by being supportive of working parents who take time off or use FWAs to care for their children," she commented.
She concluded by assuring that the ministry will continue to work with Tripartite Partners and community partners to foster societal and workplace norms that embrace families.
READ MORE: FAQs on Singapore's upcoming guidelines on flexible work arrangement requests
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