Government-Paid Maternity Leave

Claim & Reimbursement Procedures

To Submit Claims

Government-Paid Maternity Leave

To allow working mothers, including self-employed mothers, to have more time to recover from childbirth and care for their newborn, Maternity Leave was extended from 8 to 12 weeks with effect from 1 October 2004 for all births.

For Employed Mothers

If there is mutual agreement between the mother and her employer, the additional 4 weeks of maternity leave may be taken flexibly over a period of 6 months from the birth of the child. Otherwise, the additional 4 weeks of leave must be taken as a block immediately after the first 8 weeks.

For the first 2 confinements, the first 8 weeks of maternity leave will continue to be paid by the employer. The additional 4 weeks, capped at $10,000 (including CPF contributions), will be funded by the Government. For the third and fourth confinements, the Government will fund the full 12 weeks of salary, capped at $30,000 (including CPF contributions).  The employer should continue to pay the mother for the duration of the maternity leave and then claim reimbursement from the Government.

For Self-Employed Mothers

Self-employed mothers are eligible for reimbursement of the last 4 weeks of leave for the first 2 confinements and the full 12 weeks for the third and fourth confinements.  The amount of reimbursement is capped at $10,000 for the first 2 confinements and $30,000 for the third and fourth confinements.

Eligibility Criteria

To claim Government reimbursement of maternity leave, a mother must meet the following criteria:

a)	her child must be a Singapore citizen;
b)	she has fewer than 4 other living children (excludes adopted and step children) at the time of confinement;
c)	she is lawfully married to the child's father; and
d)	she has served her employer for at least 180 days before the birth of the child*.

*If the mother is self-employed, she must have been engaged in the business, trade, profession or vocation for at least 180 days before the birth of her child and she has lost income as a result of not engaging in her business, trade, profession or vocation during the maternity leave period.

For children born on or after 1 March 2007, if the mother does not meet the criterion (a) and/or (c) at the time of confinement, but meets them within six months of the child's birth, she will be eligible for the remaining Government-Paid Maternity Leave from the date she meets all the criteria.  She will not be eligible for the maternity leave that has lapsed and the remaining maternity leave entitlement must be taken before the child turns 6 months old.

For children born between 31 May 2006 and 28 February 2007, the mother will be eligible for the remaining Government-Paid Maternity Leave only upon obtaining the employer's consent.

When To Submit Claims?

Claim for reimbursement by employers and self-employed mothers must be submitted within 3 months after the end of the maternity leave period (including leave that is taken flexibly).  Late claims may be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Enquiries and Information

For enquiries on the eligibility criteria above, please call the Government-Paid Maternity Leave hotline at 1800 227 1188 code 2.

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) works closely with the Ministry of Manpower on Employment Act issues pertaining to the Government-Paid Maternity Leave Scheme.

Adoption Leave

The Adoption Leave is 4 weeks of flexible leave for adoptive mothers to care for adopted newborn children aged 6 months and below. The Government will reimburse employers up to 4 weeks of salary, capped at $10,000 (including CPF contributions), if they voluntarily grant leave to married, widowed or divorced female employees who have an adopted citizen child aged six months or younger. Self-employed mothers are also eligible.

In order to enable more adoptive mothers to qualify for Adoption Leave, the point at which they can apply for Adoption Leave has been brought forward.  This took effect on 10 March 2005.

For a local born child, an adoptive mother can now apply for Adoption Leave when the Court appoints the Director of Social Welfare as guardian in adoption.  For a foreign born child, an adoptive mother can now apply for Adoption Leave when issued with a Dependant’s Pass by MCYS.  Parents of foreign born children would have to obtain Singapore citizenship for the child within 6 months of the adoption order being granted.

All adoptive mothers shall consume their Adoption Leave flexibly or in a continuous block over a period of 6 months from the birth of the child.  Claim for reimbursement by employers and self-employed mothers must be submitted within 3 months after the end of the Adoption Leave period (including leave that is taken flexibly).  Late claim may be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

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