Government-Paid Maternity Leave

Claim & Reimbursement Procedures

To Submit Claims

Government-Paid Maternity Leave

To allow 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 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 first and second confinements of a married working mother. For the third and fourth confinements of a married working mother, the Government will fund the full 12 weeks of salary, capped at $30,000 (including CPF contributions), if the mother has fewer than 4 living children at the time of confinement. To qualify for Government reimbursement, the child must be a Singapore Citizen.

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.

The employer should pay the mother the normal salary for the duration of the maternity leave and then claim reimbursement from the Government.

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 to care for their adopted newborn child, the point at which adoptive mothers can apply for Adoption Leave has been brought forward (from point of adoption order granted for local adoptions or citizenship acquired for foreign adoptions). This will take effect from 10 March 2005.

For a local born child, an adoptive mother can now apply for Adoption Leave when the Court appoints MCYS as Guardian-ad-litem or temporary Guardian. 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 should consume their Adoption Leave flexibly or in a continuous block over a period of 6 months from the birth of the child.

Click here for Press Release