Do I Receive CPF Contributions During Maternity Leave?
CPF contributions continue during employer-paid weeks but stop during the government-funded period. Here is exactly how it works and what it means for your retirement savings.
CPF During the Employer-Paid Period (Weeks 1 to 8)
During the first 8 weeks of your maternity leave, your employer pays your salary and CPF contributions continue as normal. Both your employee contribution and your employer's contribution are made on your maternity leave pay.
What continues as normal during weeks 1 to 8
- Employee CPF contribution (typically 20% of salary for employees under 55)
- Employer CPF contribution (typically 17% for employees under 55)
- CPF contributions to Ordinary Account, Special Account, and Medisave Account
- Annual leave and other service-related accruals continue
Your payslip will look largely normal for weeks 1 to 8. The government reimburses your employer the salary cost up to the S$10,000 cap per 4 weeks, but your CPF is your employer's responsibility and is not directly reimbursed.
CPF During the Government-Paid Period (Weeks 9 to 16)
During weeks 9 to 16, the government funds your pay directly. The government does not make CPF contributions on this payment. This means there is a gap in CPF accumulation during this period.
What stops during weeks 9 to 16
- Employee CPF contribution on the government-paid maternity pay
- Employer CPF contribution on the government-paid maternity pay
If your employer tops up your pay
Some employers voluntarily pay your full salary during weeks 9 to 16 (topping up the government payment to your normal salary level). If they do this, CPF contributions apply normally on the top-up amount. Check your employment contract or speak to HR to see if your company has this policy.
In practical terms, the 8-week CPF gap during government-paid leave has a modest long-term impact on your retirement savings. For a person earning S$5,000/month, this represents roughly S$7,000 to S$8,000 in missed CPF contributions over 8 weeks (at combined employee and employer rates).
Service Continuity During Maternity Leave
Your maternity leave counts as continuous service. This has several important implications:
Annual leave continues to accrue
Your annual leave entitlement continues to accumulate during maternity leave as if you were at work. Check your employment contract as some companies cap carryover, but accrual continues.
Seniority and length of service
Your years of service count through the maternity leave period for purposes of seniority, increments, and benefits tied to length of service.
Employment Act protections remain
You remain an employee with all your statutory rights during maternity leave. Your employer cannot treat your absence as a gap in service.
Financial Planning During Maternity Leave
The 8-week period without CPF contributions is a small but real reduction in your long-term savings. Here are some ways to think about it:
Voluntary CPF top-ups
You can make voluntary contributions to your own CPF accounts at any time through the CPF Board website. This can help offset any gap if you wish to maintain your CPF accumulation trajectory.
Employer top-up to full salary
If your employer tops up your pay during weeks 9 to 16, CPF applies on the top-up portion. This is worth checking with your HR team before you start leave.
Medisave Baby Grant
When your SC baby is born, S$4,000 is automatically credited to your child's Medisave account. This does not affect your own CPF but is worth factoring into your overall financial picture.
CPF for self-employed mothers
If you are self-employed, you are responsible for your own Medisave contributions but are not required to contribute to your Ordinary or Special Accounts. During maternity leave, your government-paid maternity benefit does not attract CPF. Consider voluntarily topping up your Medisave or making cash top-ups to your retirement accounts during this period.