Parliamentary reply by Minister Indranee Rajah on the new Shared Parental Leave scheme

FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE

ORAL REPLY 

TUESDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2024

Ms Hany Soh:

To ask the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance with regard to the new shared parental leave scheme (NSPL) announced on 18 August 2024 (a) what is the rationale for commencing the NSPL on 1 April 2025; (b) whether the Government will consider bringing forward the NSPL commencement date to 2024; and (c) if the commencement date cannot be brought forward, whether there are alternative support measures available to prospective parents who will otherwise miss out on the NSPL benefits.

Mr Desmond Choo:

To ask the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance what are the planned efforts with the Tripartite Partners to drive support for the new shared parental leave scheme, especially on the utilisation of paternity leave.

Ms Indranee Rajah (for the Prime Minister):

The new Shared Parental Leave (SPL) scheme is a significant enhancement of our parental leave provisions, providing ten additional weeks of paid leave that can be shared between both parents to care for their infant.

The implementation date of 1 April 2025 was set after extensive consultation with the Tripartite Partners. We had considered implementing the new scheme earlier so that more parents can benefit. However, employers had requested for a longer lead time to prepare for this change, as companies need to update their administrative processes, and to put in place new measures to manage their employees’ extended absences. This is especially so because the new SPL scheme involves a leave sharing feature which requires coordination between both parents and their respective employers. Time is also needed for the Government to effect various legislative and operational changes.

We fully understand that parents who miss out on the enhancements could feel disappointed. However, the deferred start date is necessary to ensure that all stakeholders involved are ready to implement the changes. Implementing the new SPL from 1 April 2025 strikes a balance between giving employers sufficient time to make the necessary adjustments in this tight labour market, and allowing parents to benefit from the enhancements as soon as possible. As such, we are not able to bring forward the implementation date.

Parents whose babies are born before 1 April 2025 will still be eligible for comprehensive support under the Marriage and Parenthood package. These include the recent enhancements to the Baby Bonus Scheme that provides for higher financial support, as well as the doubling of Government-Paid Paternity Leave, on a voluntary basis, and Unpaid Infant Care Leave since 1 January 2024 to give parents more time to care for their newborn, or to settle caregiving arrangements.

During this transition period before the new SPL takes effect, we encourage employers to update their manpower and business approaches to facilitate more progressive workplace practices, and to foster a more family-friendly culture. Employers who can provide more than the current legislated provisions, whether in the form of leave or other support, are encouraged to do so, as this can position them as employers of choice.

The Government will continue to work closely with Tripartite Partners to support the implementation of the enhanced parental leave provisions. We will organise webinars for employers to understand the operational details of the scheme, and to provide more information on existing grants and resources employers can tap on to strengthen their manpower planning capabilities, and to support their operational and system adjustments.

Our research has shown that utilisation of parental leave is often dependent on workplace support. We will work with the Tripartite Partners to shape workplace norms and culture, including to establish the norm of fathers taking leave to care for and bond with their infants. We will also emphasise the need for good communication and responsible behaviour on the part of both employers and employees.

Employees should be mindful of their employers’ operational needs and act responsibly by informing their employers as early as possible once they know they are expecting a child. Employers, on their part, should be facilitative and supportive of employees’ parental leave plans. Employers and employees should work together to put in place covering arrangements that best meet the needs and constraints on both sides.

We need to work together as a society to create a culture that embraces families and children, and supports fathers in playing a greater role in child-raising while meeting employers’ needs. Together, let’s build a Singapore Made For Families.