Childcare leave: A guide for employers in Singapore
Childcare leave is a cornerstone benefit for employees in Singapore, offering working parents the means to excel in their professional journey while nurturing their families. Employers have a pivotal role in comprehending the intricacies of childcare leave regulations, serving as a bridge between employees and the law. In this comprehensive guide, we tackle common questions and aim to help you create a legally compliant and family-oriented workplace.
What is the childcare leave entitlement in Singapore?
If your employee has worked at your company for at least 3continuous months, he or she is entitled to the number of childcare leave days below, depending on whether the child is a Singapore citizen and is below 7 years old.
Is the child a Singapore citizen and under 7 years old?
Number of childcare leave days per year
Eligible for Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL)
How do I calculate childcare leave days in Singapore?
If your employee’s child is a Singapore citizen and meets the above eligibility criteria, your employee will get 6 days of childcare leave per year until the year his or her child turns 7 years old, regardless of the number of children they have. This results in a maximum of 42 days of childcare leave.
If your employee’s child is not a Singapore citizen, your employee will be entitled to 2 days per year of childcare leave instead, resulting in a maximum of 14 days of childcare leave until the child turns 7 years old.
Is childcare leave calculated based on the calendar year or work anniversary?
By default, childcare leave is based on the calendar year (from 1 January to 31 December).
However, your employee may agree with you to use a different 12-month period, such as their financial year or work anniversary.
How to pro-rate childcare leave?
Childcare leave is pro-rated according to the employee’s length of employment service during the 12-month period.
Length of employment service during 12-month relevant period
Eligible days of childcare leave
0-2 months
Not eligible
3-4 months
2
5-6 months
3
7-8 months
4
9-10 months
5
11-12 months
6
Can childcare leave be carried forward?
Employees cannot carry forward childcare leave meant for one year to the next. Therefore, your employees will have to consume their annual childcare leave entitlement by the end of the leave year.
How can my employee apply for childcare leave?
The employee has to submit the declaration form (GPCL) to the employer with all necessary supporting documents and apply for GPCL according to the employer’s leave application procedures.
How much can I claim for government-paid childcare leave as an employer?
If the employee’s child is a Singaporean citizen and meets the other eligibility criteria, you will be reimbursed by the Government for the remaining 3 days of childcare leave.
Childcare leave will be paid as follows:
The first 3 days will be paid by you as the employer at the employee’s gross rate of pay.
The remaining 3 days will be paid by the Government.
Payments are capped at $500 per day, including CPF contributions.
Example 1 (if your employee’s gross rate of pay is below $500 per day):
If your employee's gross rate of pay is $300 per day:
For the first 3 days of childcare leave: You, as the employer, would pay them $300 per day.
For the 4th to 6th day: $300 per day will be reimbursed by the Government.
Example 2 (if your employee’s gross rate of pay is above $500 per day):
If your employee's gross rate of pay is $600 per day:
For the first 3 days of childcare leave: You, as the employer, would pay them $600 per day.
For the 4th to 6th day: $500 per day will be reimbursed by the Government, as $500 is the daily cap amount.
How can I claim reimbursement for government-paid childcare leave as an employer?
Obtain the declaration form (GPCL1) and supporting documents from your employee and verify their eligibility for Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL).
The declaration form must be kept for 5 years from the last day of the relevant period for audit purposes.
Submit your claim for reimbursement online via the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal no later than 3 months after the last day of the 12-month period.
Check your application status on the GPL Portal. A notification will be sent to you and your employee once your application is processed.
Are Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) eligible for childcare leave?
Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) are eligible for childcare leave as long as they meet the eligibility criteria:
The child is a Singaporean citizen.
The child is below the age of 7 years old.
The employee has worked for at least 3 months continuously.
Can foreigners take childcare leave in Singapore?
Yes, the same eligibility applies to foreigners. Foreigners are eligible for childcare leave as long as they meet the eligibility criteria:
The child is a Singaporean citizen.
The child is below the age of 7 years old.
The employee has worked for at least 3 months continuously.
Do contract workers get childcare leave?
Yes, contract, temporary, or part-time workers are also eligible for Government-Paid Childcare Leave if they have worked at your company for at least 3 continuous months.
Example:
Bianca is a contract employee who is contracted for a 6-month period. Therefore, she is eligible for 3 days of childcare leave, according to the pro-rated childcare leave guide.
Can an employee take childcare leave during probation?
Yes, the employee can take childcare leave as long as they meet the eligibility criteria during the probation period:
The child is a Singaporean citizen.
The child is below the age of 7 years old.
The employee has worked for at least 3 months continuously.
Can an employee take childcare leave during the notice period?
The employee cannot use the childcare leave to offset the notice period for termination of employment.
However, if they apply for childcare leave during the notice period, you are encouraged to grant the leave. The leave taken will not be added to the notice period.
What other government-mandated entitlements to childcare leave are there?
Besides childcare leave, the Singaporean government has introduced enhanced leave entitlements to offer parents greater flexibility while balancing their careers. These government-mandated childcare leave entitlements include:
Extended childcare leave
Extended childcare leave is an invaluable benefit for working parents, providing them with up to 2 additional days of childcare leave per year. To qualify for this extended leave, employees must meet specific criteria:
The youngest child should fall within the age range of 7 to 12 years, both inclusive.
The employee’s child is a Singapore citizen.
Your employee must have completed at least 3 months of employment with your company.
The arrival of a new family member is a momentous occasion that transforms the lives of parents. Recognising its importance, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in Singapore offers unpaid infant care leave, allowing eligible parents up to 6 days of unpaid leave to care for their newborns or adopted infants. To qualify for this type of leave, parents must meet specific criteria:
The child should fall below 2 years of age.
The child is a Singapore citizen.
Your employee must have completed at least 3 months of employment with your organisation.
This also applies to employees who are adoptive parents or stepparents.
Becoming a parent is a life-altering journey, and for those who choose adoption, it brings both joy and distinctive challenges. As an employer in Singapore, it is essential to embrace and assist employees as they embark on this remarkable journey. According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), here are the eligibility criteria to be able to receive the 12 weeks of paid adoption leave:
The adopted child should be under 12 months old when the formal intent to adopt is initiated.
The adopted child must be a Singapore citizen.
If the adopted child is foreign-born, at least one adoptive parent must be a Singapore citizen, and the child must acquire Singapore citizenship within 6 months of adoption.
Your employee must have worked continuously at your company for at least 3 months prior to formal adoption.
The adoption order must be passed within 1 year of the formal intent to adopt.
Head over to our Adoption Leave Guide in Singapore, which covers a detailed breakdown of the important aspects of adoption leave, equipping you with the knowledge to create a nurturing environment for your employees who are adoptive parents!
Shared parental leave
Shared parental leave in Singapore offers a valuable opportunity for working parents to jointly shoulder the responsibilities of caring for their newborn or newly adopted child.
According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), this initiative permits eligible working fathers to share up to 4 weeks of maternity leave from their spouse. To qualify, both parents should be employed and meet specific eligibility criteria:
The child must be a Singapore citizen.
The child's mother must qualify for Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML).
Your employee must be legally married to the child's mother.
This shared parental leave approach promotes a more balanced parenting journey and fortifies the support system for families. Head over to our Shared Parental Leave Guide in Singapore to learn more!
How can I better support your employees who have children?
Supporting employees with children is essential for creating a family-friendly work environment. Here are some practical ways to support your employees who have kids:
Flexible work arrangements
Embracing flexible working arrangements is a key element of supporting employees who are working parents. Consider options such as part-time work, job sharing, or remote work, where applicable. These arrangements can help working parents balance their family and work responsibilities.
Childcare support
Offer or subsidise childcare services on-site or provide information on reliable external childcare options. This support can help fathers ensure their children are well-cared for while they are at work.
Equal opportunities
Ensure that working parents have the same opportunities for advancement, promotions, and career growth as their colleagues. Avoid biases related to parenthood that may hinder their progress.
Lead by example
As an employer or manager, lead by example in terms of work-life balance. Demonstrate that it is possible to be a dedicated professional and an engaged parent by encouraging your employees to take family care leave.
In conclusion, understanding the various childcare leave entitlements and effectively supporting your employees with children is essential to fostering employee well-being and satisfaction. By providing the necessary resources and flexibility, employers can help parents excel in their professional roles while fulfilling their family responsibilities.
Simplify childcare leave tracking with Payboy’s leave management system!
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find leave management to be a pain point, and we can understand why:
SMEs don’t have as many HR resources as larger businesses. As a result, they often have to rely on manual leave processes, which can be both time-consuming and error-prone.
SMEs often have a more limited pool of employees to choose from when someone goes on leave. This can lead to disruptions in workflow and decreased productivity.
If leave isn't managed properly, it can have a negative impact on productivity and morale. Therefore, good HR software is an essential tool for any business that wants to stay on top of its leave entitlements and ensure its employees are getting the rest they deserve. Here are some benefits of using our leave management module:
Manage leaves digitally
Our leave management module is designed to streamline the leave management process, making it easy for employees to apply for leave and check leave balances, as well as for employers to approve and manage leave requests.
Employees can also easily submit supporting documents or certificates via the mobile app, so that all the documents are stored in a central database. No more missing documents!
Sync seamlessly with Shift Scheduling and Payroll Processing modules
Shift scheduling and payroll calculation can be time-consuming and stressful while managing different leave types and requests. With Payboy HR software, when leaves are approved, the employee’s availability will be automatically updated in the Shift Scheduling module, and any encashed or unpaid leave will be calculated in the Payroll Processing module.
Customise the leave policy that best fits your business needs
We'll provide you with a MOM-compliant setup to start with, but we are also ready to assist you in customising your leave policy to fit your business requirements. Check out how to customise settings for each leave type with Payboy, including childcare leave!
Our Payboy Support Centre also helps to address most of the FAQs regarding other statutory leave entitlements asked by our customers:
Reach out to us if you are keen for a free demo on how we can help you save hours and give you some peace of mind on payroll and other HR matters so that you can focus on your business and people.
