What Is Paternity Leave In Singapore: A Guide For Expectant Fathers

Paternity leave in Singapore is a vital component of family welfare, enabling fathers to be actively involved in the early and crucial stages of their child’s life. Understanding what paternity leave is in Singapore, including its duration and eligibility, is essential for new and expectant fathers.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Singapore paternity leave, detailing recent legislative changes that further support working fathers.

We will explore how many days of paternity leave in Singapore you are entitled to, how paternity leave is calculated, and the procedures for applying for and claiming your leave. Whether you are an employee or self-employed, this article will equip you with the knowledge to fully utilise your paternity leave entitlements and support your growing family.

How Many Paternity Leave Days Are There In Singapore?

If you’re wondering how long paternity leave is in Singapore, eligible working fathers, including those who are self-employed, are entitled to up to four weeks of government-paid paternity leave.

Initially, fathers were entitled to two weeks of mandatory leave, possibly an additional two weeks voluntarily, subject to their employer’s agreement. The Government reimburses this additional leave to the employers who choose to grant the leave requested.

From April 1, 2025, a new policy will make all four weeks of paternity leave mandatory. This change aims to enhance shared parental responsibility and support the involvement of both parents in early childcare.

Parents are encouraged to inform their employers early about their leave plans, especially as they must give at least four weeks’ notice before taking their leave. This adjustment period is designed to help employers manage manpower needs effectively.

The paternity leave can be taken in one continuous block within 16 weeks from the child’s date of birth, or if there is a mutual agreement between the employer and employee, it can be taken non-continuously within 12 months from the child’s date of birth.

The Government will reimburse all four weeks of your GPPL, capped at $2,500 per week, totalling up to $10,000.

Benefits Of Paternity Leave In Singapore

The benefits of extended paternity leave in Singapore are designed to support eligible working fathers in becoming more involved in the early stages of their children’s lives.

This policy is applicable for children born or with a Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) on or after January 1, 2024, where fathers can take advantage of up to four weeks of paternity leave.

This leave can be utilised within 12 months from the child’s date of birth and aims to provide substantial support to the family unit during this crucial period.

Leave Duration And Flexibility

Fathers of newborns or adoptive fathers can begin their paternity leave no earlier than the child’s date of birth or the FIA date.

The leave must be concluded no later than 12 months from the child’s date of birth. Initially, two weeks of this leave are guaranteed under government policy, with an option to extend it to four weeks if the employer agrees.

The Government will fully reimburse these additional two weeks, which are currently voluntary but will transition to mandatory by April 2025. This will ensure that fathers can spend quality time with their newborns without financial stress.

Leave Utilisation Options

The paternity leave can be taken in one continuous block within 16 weeks from the child’s date of birth, which can be crucial for fathers aiming to be present during the early and possibly more challenging days post-birth.

Alternatively, with mutual agreement between the employer and the employee, the leave can be spread out non-continuously throughout the first year, offering flexibility to plan for parental and work responsibilities.

Financial Support

The Government provides a reimbursement cap for paternity leave, which is set at $2,500 per week, totalling up to $10,000 for the full four weeks. This cap helps to ensure that fathers are not financially disadvantaged while taking time off to support their families.

For fathers whose children were born before January 1, 2024, the support remains at two weeks of paternity leave, with the Government covering up to $5,000.

Who Is Eligible For Paternity Leave?

Paternity leave in Singapore provides vital support for fathers to participate actively in the early stages of their child’s life. Certain eligibility criteria must be met to access government-paid paternity leave (GPPL), which ensures that fathers can effectively contribute to caregiving and housework responsibilities.

General Requirements

• The child must be a Singapore citizen or become one within 12 months from the date of birth.
• Fathers must be or have been lawfully married to the child’s mother at some point between the child’s conception and birth or within 12 months from the child’s date of birth.

For Natural Fathers With Live Birth

To qualify for Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL), natural fathers must meet the following requirements:

• Child’s Citizenship: The child must be a Singapore citizen at birth or must obtain citizenship within 12 months from the date of birth. GPPL can only be availed after the child obtains Singapore citizenship and must be taken within 12 months from the child’s date of birth.
• Marital Status: Fathers must have been lawfully married to the child’s mother at some point between conception and before the child’s birth or within 12 months following the birth. GPPL can only be taken after the marriage is official and within the stipulated 12 months.
• Employment Criteria
  • For Employees: Fathers must have served their employer continuously for at least three months before the child’s date of birth.If all GPPL criteria are met except for the continuous service requirement, and the employer agrees to grant GPPL, the Government may reimburse the employer.
  • For Self-Employed: Fathers should have been engaged in their trade, business, profession, or vocation continuously for at least three months before the child’s birth and must have lost income during the paternity leave period.

Additional conditions apply if the child is born on or after November 1, 2021, and fathers must not have claimed the Government-Paid Paternity Benefit (GPPB) for the same child.

For Natural Fathers With Stillbirth

Eligibility for paternity leave in the unfortunate event of a stillbirth is as follows:

• Date of Stillbirth: The stillbirth must occur on or after November 1, 2021.
• Marital and Citizenship Status:
  • If the child’s mother was a Singapore citizen at the time of the stillbirth, the father must have been lawfully married to her between conception and the time of stillbirth or within 12 months thereafter.
  • If the mother was not a Singapore citizen, the father must be a Singapore citizen and must have been lawfully married to the mother during the same timeframe.
• Employment Criteria:
  • For Employees: Fathers must have served their employer for a continuous period of at least three months before the stillbirth.
  • For Self-Employed: Fathers should have been continuously engaged in their profession or business for at least three months before the stillbirth, experiencing a loss of income during the GPPL period.

For both employees and self-employed fathers, GPPL can be claimed only after meeting the marital status requirements and within 12 months from the date of stillbirth.

The Government may reimburse employers if all other GPPL criteria are met except for the continuous employment criterion, provided the employer agrees to grant the leave.

For Foreigners And Permanent Residents

Foreign and Permanent Resident fathers are entitled to the full government-paid paternity leave benefits under the same conditions as Singaporean fathers, provided they meet the following key criteria:

• Child’s Citizenship: The most crucial requirement is that the child must be a Singapore citizen. If the child is not a citizen at birth, the father may become eligible for GPPL if the child obtains Singapore citizenship within 12 months of birth. The leave can only be taken after the child becomes a citizen.
• Lawful Marriage: The father must be, or have been, lawfully married to the child’s mother at any point between conception and the child’s birth.
• Employment Duration:
  • For employees: They must have worked for their employer for a continuous period of at least three months before the child’s birth.
  • For self-employed individuals: They must have been engaged in their work for at least three continuous months before the child’s birth and have suffered a loss of income during the paternity leave period.

If these conditions are met, foreign and Permanent Resident fathers can enjoy up to four weeks of Government-Paid Paternity Leave.

Adoptive Father’s Eligibility For Paternity Leave

In Singapore, adoptive fathers are entitled to Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL), provided they meet certain conditions that facilitate support during the critical early stages of child adoption.

Eligibility Criteria

• Citizenship Requirement: The child must be a Singapore citizen. In cases where the child is not initially a Singapore citizen, at least one parent (adoptive father or joint applicant) must have been a Singapore citizen from the date the dependent’s pass was issued.
• Employment History:
  • For employees: The adoptive father must have been employed for a continuous period of at least three months preceding the Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date.
  • For self-employed: The father must have been actively engaged in his trade or profession for at least three continuous months prior to the FIA date, with demonstrable income loss during the paternity leave period.
  • Date Criteria: The FIA must be dated on or after January 1, 2017. Additionally, to qualify for GPPL, the adoptive father must not have claimed the Government-Paid Paternity Benefit (GPPB) for the same child.

Timing Of Leave

Paternity leave for adoptive fathers is tied to the FIA date, with the leave needing to be taken within 12 months of this date. This allows adoptive fathers to be involved from the earliest stages of the adoption process, providing necessary support as the family adjusts to the arrival of a new member.

My Employer Rejected My Paternity Leave Request: What Are My Rights?

Receiving a rejection for your paternity leave request can be distressing, especially during such an important family moment. However, it is crucial to know that Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) is a statutory right in Singapore, not just a company benefit. If you meet all the legal criteria, your employer is legally obligated to grant you this leave.

Here’s a breakdown of your rights and the steps you can take if your request has been denied.

1. Understand the Legal Framework

Your right to paternity leave is protected under Singapore’s Child Development Co-Savings Act. An employer cannot lawfully refuse your GPPL application if you have met all the following eligibility requirements:

• Your child is a Singapore citizen.
• You are lawfully married to the child’s mother.
• You have served your employer for a continuous period of at least three months before your child’s birth.

2. First, Clarify the Reason for Rejection

Before escalating the issue, approach your employer or Human Resources (HR) department professionally to seek clarification. A rejection may be due to a simple misunderstanding or a procedural issue. Common legitimate reasons for an initial rejection include:

• Incomplete or Incorrect Documentation: You may have forgotten to submit a required document, such as your child’s birth certificate or your marriage certificate.
• Insufficient Notice: While there is no mandatory notice period by law, failing to provide reasonable notice can disrupt business operations. Your employer can ask you to adjust your leave dates, but they cannot reject the leave entitlement itself.
• Ineligibility: There might be a misunderstanding about your eligibility, such as a miscalculation of your length of service.

3. Steps to Take if the Rejection is Unjustified

If your employer cannot provide a valid legal reason for the rejection, or if the reason given is unfair (e.g., “we are too busy,” “we don’t offer this to male employees”), you have the right to challenge the decision.

Step 1: Formal Internal Communication: Send a formal email to your HR department and direct manager. In the email, politely state that you believe you meet all the legal criteria for Government-Paid Paternity Leave under the Child Development Co-Savings Act. Re-attach your application and supporting documents. This demonstrates your intent to resolve the matter internally first.

Step 2: Seek Mediation and Assistance: If your employer still refuses to grant the leave, you are not alone. You can seek assistance from external bodies. Your primary recourse is the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM).

• What TADM Does: TADM provides advisory and mediation services to help resolve employment disputes amicably. You can file a claim for mediation, and a mediator will help facilitate a conversation between you and your employer to find a solution.
• How to Approach TADM: You should have records of your application, the rejection notice (if any), and your attempts to resolve the issue internally.

Step 3: Escalate to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM): If mediation at TADM fails, the case can be escalated to the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT). Employers who are found to have wrongfully denied statutory paternity leave can face penalties. The Ministry of Manpower takes the enforcement of parental leave rights very seriously.

4. Your Employment is Protected

It is illegal for an employer to terminate or penalise you for applying for or intending to take your statutory paternity leave. If you face any form of retribution, such as a sudden poor performance review, demotion, or termination of your employment after raising the issue, this could be considered wrongful dismissal. In such a case, you should seek immediate legal advice and report the matter to TADM and MOM.

Recovery of Reimbursement Claims/Payments For Adoptive Fathers

The process for filing and recovering paternity leave claims ensures that adoptive fathers receive financial support during their leave, outlining the conditions under which reimbursements are made to employers.

Reimbursement Process

• Documentation: Adoptive fathers must submit necessary documents, such as the FIA paperwork, employment records, and proof of the child’s citizenship status, to their employer, who will then claim the reimbursement from the Government.
• Timelines: The paternity leave reimbursement must be claimed within a stipulated period that aligns with government guidelines, usually within 12 months from the FIA date.

Conditions For Reimbursement

• Adoption Finalisation: The adoption order must be granted within 12 months from the FIA date. If the Adoption is not finalised within this period, the employer may need to recover the paternity leave payments.
• Citizenship of the Child: If the child does not obtain Singapore citizenship within six months following the adoption order date, the reimbursement claim may be affected, requiring the employer to recover the paid leave amounts.

Government-Paid Shared Parental Leave (SPL)

The Government-Paid Shared Parental Leave (SPL) in Singapore is a significant provision for eligible working fathers, including those who are self-employed. It allows them to share up to four weeks of their wife’s Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) or Adoption Leave for Mothers (AL).

This initiative highlights the Government’s commitment to supporting shared parental responsibilities, facilitating a more balanced engagement of both parents in early childcare and bonding.

From April 1, 2025, the current Shared Parental Leave Scheme will evolve to offer an additional six weeks of paid parental leave, which will be shared between both parents, fostering even greater participation in nurturing the new family member.

Here is a detailed example illustrating how the Government-Paid Shared Parental Leave (SPL) operates in Singapore, particularly regarding the allocation and adjustment of leave entitlements under various circumstances:

Example Scenario For SPL Usage And Adjustments

A father is eligible for four weeks of SPL, intending to support his wife post-childbirth by sharing some of her maternity leave.

The SPL is scheduled as five working days a week, making it a total of 20 working days.

• Utilisation of SPL: The father initially takes one week of SPL (5 working days) to care for his newborn while his wife recovers.
• Interruption of Employment: After taking 7 days of SPL (1 week and 2 days), the father’s employment is unexpectedly terminated.
• Revocation and Forfeiture of SPL: Upon termination of his employment, two weeks of his remaining SPL entitlement are revoked and returned to his spouse, representing complete, unused weeks.

The additional 3 days of SPL, being less than a full week, are forfeited and not returned to the mother’s leave balance.

• Special Consideration for Widowed Fathers: If the father were widowed and his employment terminated before fully utilising his Shared Parental Leave Scheme entitlement, he would be eligible to take the remaining whole unconsumed week in subsequent employment or as a self-employed individual.

However, any remainder of the SPL entitlement that constitutes less than a full week would still be forfeited.

SPL can only be amended or revoked under specific circumstances, such as changes in childcare arrangements, inability to consume entitlement due to work exigencies, errors in the initial election, or termination of employment.

Also, SPL cannot be utilised to offset the notice period when leaving a job, ensuring that the primary intent of SPL—to foster parental involvement in early childcare—is upheld.

Those fathers needing to amend or revoke shared leave must contact the relevant authorities via contactus@profamilyleave.gov.sg, specifying their situation for adjustments.

Eligibility For Shared Leave Arrangement

Eligibility for SPL is determined under several conditions, ensuring that fathers who are actively involved in their child’s early life can benefit from this scheme:

• For Natural Fathers with Live Births:
  • The child’s date of birth or the estimated delivery date is on or after July 1, 2017.
  • The child must either be a Singapore citizen at birth or must acquire citizenship within 12 months following birth.
  • SPL is applicable only after the child achieves Singapore citizenship and must be used within 12 months from the child’s date of birth.
  • The father must have been lawfully married to the child’s mother from conception up to the child’s birth or within the subsequent 12 months.

    SPL entitlement is contingent on the father being married to the child’s mother by the time of her election for him to use SPL or her death if it occurs before such an election.

• For Natural Fathers with Stillbirth:
  • Applicable if the stillbirth occurred on or after November 1, 2021.
  • The child’s mother must have been a Singapore citizen at the time of stillbirth.
  • The father should have been lawfully married to the child’s mother between conception and the time of stillbirth or within the 12 months following the stillbirth.
  • SPL considerations also depend on the timing of the mother’s election for the father to take SPL or her death before making such an election.
• For Adoptive Fathers:
  • The Adoption Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date should be on or after July 1, 2017.
  • The adoptive mother must be eligible for either GPML or AL and must elect to share her leave with the adoptive father.
  • Conditions similar to those for natural fathers apply, where the father must have been lawfully married to the child’s adoptive mother by the date she elects for him to take SPL or by the date of her death if it precedes such an election.

How To Apply For Paternity Leave In Singapore

Applying for paternity leave in Singapore is a structured process that ensures eligible working fathers can take time off to support their families during the critical early stages of a child’s life. Here is a step-by-step guide for both employees and self-employed persons.

For Employees

1. Early Notification: Notify your employer about your leave plans as early as possible. This early notification allows your employer to verify your eligibility and make the necessary covering arrangements.
2. Submit Declaration Form: Complete the declaration form (GPPL1), which your employer may provide, or they may use their system for declarations. This form should be submitted along with essential supporting documents like your child’s birth certificate and your marriage certificate.
3. Apply for GPPL: Follow your employer’s standard leave application procedures to formally apply for your paternity leave. Ensure that your application aligns with the internal policies to avoid any operational challenges.
4. Documentation and Record Keeping: Employers are required to keep the declaration form or records for five years from the last leave date for audit purposes.
5. Claim Submission: Employers must submit a claim for reimbursement online via the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal no later than three months after the last date of your GPPL. They can claim reimbursement for any part of the paternity leave, even if it is not fully completed.

For Self-Employed Fathers

1. Record Leave Dates: Keep an accurate record of your GPPL dates. This record is crucial for verifying the leave period during the claim process.
2. Submit Claim: Submit your paternity leave claim online through the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal no later than three months after the date of your GPPL. You do not need to complete your GPPL before submitting a claim for payment. Claims for any part of the GPPL taken after leave commencement are acceptable.
3. Income Verification: As a self-employed father, you will be eligible for payment based on the income lost during the GPPL, calculated from your relevant Notice of Assessment from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).
4. Check Application Status: Regularly check your application status on the GPL Portal. Notifications regarding the processing of your application will be sent directly to you.

Timelines And Consequences Of Delay

• Minimum Notice Period: It is crucial to give sufficient notice to your employer about your intentions to take paternity leave. The recommended notice period is at least eight weeks before commencing the leave.
• Consequences of Late Notification: Failing to notify your employer in time can lead to delays in the verification of your eligibility and could complicate the scheduling of work cover. This might also affect the timely processing of your paternity leave application and subsequent reimbursement claims.

Conclusion About Paternity Leave In Singapore

In Singapore, paternity leave is designed to support not only the growth of families but also to foster gender equality in parenting roles.

The entitlements provided under the Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) allow eligible fathers, including those who are self-employed, to benefit from up to four weeks of paid leave, which can be shared with the mother’s leave under specific conditions.

For fathers navigating the intricacies of parental leave or seeking to understand the full scope of their legal rights and entitlements, professional guidance is invaluable.

Tembusu Law, with its team of dedicated family and divorce lawyers in Singapore, provides expert legal advice tailored to the unique challenges of family law disputes in Singapore.

Contact Tembusu Law today to ensure your parental rights are fully protected and to receive expert advice on any aspect of family law.

Frequently Asked Questions About Singapore Paternity Leave

Are Fathers Required To Take Their Paternity Leave In A Continuous Block?

Fathers in Singapore are not mandated to take their paternity leave in a continuous block. They can choose to split the leave, provided they have the consent of their employer. This flexibility helps accommodate both family needs and workplace demands.

Can Mothers Transfer All Of Their Maternity Leave To Fathers Under The Shared Leave Scheme?

Mothers cannot transfer all of their maternity leave to fathers under the shared leave scheme. They can share up to four weeks of their government-paid maternity leave with the child’s father. This initiative promotes shared responsibility for child-rearing between parents.

Does Termination Of Employment Affect A Father’s Eligibility For Paid Paternity Leave?

Termination of employment can affect a father’s eligibility for paid paternity leave, particularly if the termination occurs before the leave is granted or scheduled.

However, if the paternity leave is already scheduled, the father may still be able to take it. It’s important to check specific employer policies and any applicable legal guidelines.

When Should Parents Notify Their Employer If They Intend To Share Parental Leave?

Parents should notify their employer at least four weeks before they intend to start their shared parental leave. Early notification helps ensure that employers can make necessary adjustments to work arrangements and facilitates smoother administration of the shared leave benefits.