The Shared Parental Leave scheme has been used as a way for working fathers to take more time off work to share parental responsibilities for their newborn. This is because working fathers can apply to share between 1 to 4 weeks of their wives\u2019 16-week Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) or 12-week Adoption Leave for Mothers (AL) – with their wives’ acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This increased the time-off working fathers can take to spend with their babies to up to 8 weeks. The time-off comprises 2 weeks of mandatory Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL), up to 2 weeks of voluntary Government-Paid Paternity Leave, and up to 4 weeks from the Shared Parental Leave scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government will reimburse employers for up to all 8 weeks that working fathers take off work. Moreover, fathers (and mothers) with newborns are also entitled to\u00a06 days of Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL)<\/a>, as well as 12 days of unpaid infant care leave, each year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Announced at the National Day Rally 2024, by new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, from 1 April 2025, the Shared Parent Leave scheme will get a facelift. No longer will it be only for working fathers to eat into working mothers’ Maternity Leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, the new and improved Shared Parental Leave will provide 10 additional weeks of shared leave – on top of individual Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave – that can be shared between working mothers and fathers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means working mothers can take up to 26 weeks or nearly 6 months of time off from work – using 16 weeks of Maternity Leave and 10 weeks of Shared Parental Leave. Similarly, working fathers may take up to 14 weeks of time off work if they consume the entire Shared Parental Leave allocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This new scheme will be rolled out in 2 stages from 1 April 2025 – where 6 weeks of Shared Parental Leave will be offered. The following year, on 1 April 2026, the remaining 4 weeks of Shared Parental Leave will take effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All 10 weeks of additional Shared Parental Leave will be paid for by the Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: Guide To Understanding How Government-Paid Paternity Leave Works in Singapore<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Employees who are working fathers, and mothers from 1 April 2025, (including those who are self-employed) can apply for Shared Parental Leave if 1) their newborn is a Singapore Citizen, 2) the child\u2019s mother qualifies for Government-Paid Maternity Leave (under the existing scheme), and 3) they are lawfully married.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no minimum employment duration (including being on probation) for working fathers or mothers (from 1 April 2025) to be eligible for Shared Parental Leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, working fathers can only apply if they have agreement from their wives to share part of the Government-Paid Maternity Leave. Mothers can make this election via the\u00a0Share My Leave eService<\/a>\u00a0in the Government-Paid Leave Portal using her Singpass.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n An employee who is a working father must submit a declaration form with supporting documents. Businesses can use the template form\u00a0SPL1<\/a>\u00a0or their own forms or systems. This form has to be kept for 5 years from your employee\u2019s last Shared Parental Leave date. You have to verify that the employee\u2019s wife has made the relevant declaration on the Government-Paid Leave Portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the unfortunate situation that the child\u2019s mother passes away before electing to share her Government-Paid Maternity Leave or in the situation of a stillbirth (on or after 1 Nov 2021), working fathers will still be eligible for Shared Parental Leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like other related schemes, Shared Parental Scheme also becomes eligible for working fathers if their child becomes a Singapore Citizen within 12 months from their date of birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The current Shared Parental Leave arrangement is for working fathers to take time off in a continuous stretch within 12 months after the birth of the child. The start date cannot be earlier than the child\u2019s date of birth. This arrangement does not require employers to provide agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, with mutual agreement from both employers and the working father employee, Shared Parental Leave can be used flexibly within 12 months after the birth of the child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once allocated, Shared Parental Leaves that are not used cannot be encashed in any way or returned to the mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, from 1 April 2025, both working mothers and fathers will be eligible for additional Shared Parental Leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Also: Govt-Paid Maternity Leave In Singapore. What Employees Are Entitled To, And How Much Can Companies Claim.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 1 July 2017, workers fathers have been eligible for up to 4 weeks of Shared Parental leave, capped at $2,500 per week \u2013 for a total of $10,000 for the maximum 4-week period. This figure includes CPF contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For those taking Shared Parental Leave flexibly, the daily reimbursement rate is $2,500\/(no. of working days a week). Employers can use the Government-Paid Leave Calculator<\/a> to estimate the amount of reimbursement they are eligible for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These reimbursements will be made depending on the personal taking the leave. This means that it does not matter how much the mother is earning, the working father will be paid his salary when he takes Shared Paternity Leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While employers have to continue paying their employee\u2019s salary normally, they do not have to pay more than the weekly $2,500 rate (inclusive of CPF). Of course, employers can do so voluntarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWho Is Eligible For Shared Parental Leave?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When Do Fathers Have To Take Their Shared Parental Leave?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Much Can Employers Claim From The Government For Shared Parental Leave?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n