What Is Shared Parental Leave and How Does It Work in Singapore?
Shared parental leave lets mothers transfer weeks of maternity leave to the father. Here is who qualifies, how to do it, and what the combined leave picture looks like.
What Shared Parental Leave (SPL) Is
Shared Parental Leave (SPL) is a scheme that allows a mother to share up to 4 weeks of her Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) with the father. The father takes those weeks as paid leave in place of the mother.
This is separate from the father's own GPPL entitlement. It is an additional pool of leave the father can access only if the mother chooses to transfer it.
Which weeks can be shared?
The weeks that can be transferred are specifically weeks 5 to 8 of the mother's GPML. Weeks 1 to 4 must be taken by the mother. Weeks 9 to 16 are government-funded and cannot be transferred.
In practice, SPL is most useful for families where the father wants extended paternity leave for bonding, or where the mother needs to return to work earlier than 16 weeks for professional reasons.
Eligibility for Shared Parental Leave
Both parents must meet eligibility criteria for SPL to work.
Mother must:
- Be entitled to GPML (16 weeks for SC baby)
- Agree in writing to the transfer
- Not be taking the same weeks herself
Father must:
- Be employed for at least 3 continuous months before birth
- Be legally married to the mother
- Have an SC child
The baby must be a Singapore Citizen for SPL to apply. PR or foreigner babies are not covered by the SPL scheme.
How to Transfer the Leave: The Process
The process is straightforward but requires both parents to take action:
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1
Mother and father agree on how many weeks (up to 4) will be transferred and when the father will take them.
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2
Mother notifies her employer in writing that she is transferring X weeks to the father. She also notifies the father's employer if different.
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3
Father notifies his employer that he will be taking SPL weeks, specifying the dates.
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4
Father's employer must comply. They apply for reimbursement from the government in the same way as GPML reimbursement.
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5
Father takes his SPL within 12 months of the baby's birth. It does not have to be taken immediately after birth.
Cannot be taken at the same time
Mother and father cannot take SPL at the same time. The weeks are transferred from mother to father, meaning the mother does not take those weeks. They are not additional leave on top of the mother's existing entitlement.
Combined Leave Picture and Upcoming Changes
With all options combined, here is what a Singapore family with an SC baby could access:
| Leave Type | Who Takes It | Maximum Weeks |
|---|---|---|
| GPML (mother) | Mother | Up to 12 weeks (after transferring 4 to father) |
| SPL (from mother) | Father | Up to 4 weeks |
| GPPL (father) | Father | 4 weeks (2 mandatory + 2 optional) |
| Total family paid leave | Both parents | Up to 20 weeks combined |
Singapore is expanding parental leave
Singapore's government has been progressively increasing parental leave entitlements. Budget announcements have proposed additional shared parental leave weeks and expanded paternity leave in the coming years. Check MOM's website at mom.gov.sg for the latest confirmed entitlements as legislation may have been updated after this was written.