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What is Shared Parental Leave and How You Can Apply for It?

Shared Parental Leave in SingaporeWorking father in Singapore may share up to 4 weeks of their wife’s Government-Paid Maternity Leave, subject to their wife’s consent. Here are the things you should know about shared parental leave.

 

How Does It Work?

Shared Parental Leave provides working father, including self-employed, with the option of sharing part of their wife maternity leave benefit, under the consent of their wife.

 

Government-Paid Shared Parental Leave Requirements

You are eligible for the shared parental leave if you fulfilled the following requirement:

  • The child is a Singapore citizen.
  • The mother of the child is eligible for Government Paid Maternity Leave.
  • You are legally married to the mother of the child.

Your wife must agree and give her consent to share her maternity leave benefits with them before the commencement of the leave.

 

Singapore Entitlement

You will be entitled up to 1 week, capped at $2500 (inclusive of CPF) of it if your child is born or has an estimated delivery date before 1 July 2017.

If your child is born or has an estimated delivery date on or after 1 July 2017, you will be entitled to up to 4 weeks of shared parental leave, capped at $2500 per week (inclusive of CPF). Hence, it must be taken in a continuous block of 1 full week each (inclusive of weekends and public holiday). That said, it may be taken flexibly under the mutual agreement of you and your employer.

It must be taken within 12 months from the child’s date of birth, date of birth included. Also, you are not allowed to use it to offset the notice period when you terminate your service with the company.

 

How to Apply for the Shared Parental Leave in Singapore?

If you are an employee, these are the application process:

  • You and your wife should decide on the number of days or weeks of the maternity leave your wife to wish to share.
  • Complete and submit the declaration form (SPL1) to your employer. They can verify your eligibility for the shared parental leave.
  • Your wife will need to inform her employer of her intention to share the maternity leave with you and to allow her employer to make the necessary leave adjustment.
  • Your wife must declare her intention to share her maternity leave via the Shared Parental Leave Allocation System (SPLAS).

After she has made her declaration, she will need to print and submit the print out hardcopies declaration to her employer. It also includes her maternity leave application.

If you are self-employed, these are the application process:

  • You and your wife will decide on the leave arrangement 12 months before your child’s date of birth.
  • Your wife will need to inform her employer of her intention to share the maternity leave with you. Also, she must let allow her employer to make the necessary leave adjustment.
  • Your wife must declare her intention to share her maternity leave via the Shared Parental Leave Allocation System (SPLAS).
  • Please record and take note of your leave dates.
  • Submit your claim via the GPL portal no later than 3 months after the last day of your leave. You can only do so after your wife has submitted her declaration.

No further changes can be made, once your wife has made her declaration in SPLAS. Therefore, please discuss and ensure the declaration is accurate before registering the declaration.