How much maternity leave are female employees entitled to?

What the Law Says

The Employment Act sets out the statutory entitlement to paid maternity leave for eligible female employees in Singapore.

Under the Employment Act, a female employee is entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. This applies to employees covered by Part IV of the Act (generally workmen and non-workmen earning up to SGD 4,500 per month, or managers/executives earning up to SGD 5,000 per month).

To qualify, the employee must have served her employer for at least 3 continuous months before the expected delivery date. The leave may be taken before and/or after childbirth, but not more than 4 weeks may be taken before the expected delivery date unless certified by a medical practitioner.

The first 8 weeks of the 16-week leave are fully paid by the employer. The remaining 8 weeks are government-paid for the first and second child, provided the employee meets the eligibility criteria set by the Ministry of Manpower and the Government’s Baby Bonus Scheme.

Statutory Text

76.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), every female employee who has been employed continuously for a period of not less than 3 months immediately before her confinement shall be entitled to not less than 16 weeks’ maternity leave.

— Employment Act 1968, s. 76 — Maternity leave

What to Do

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