Singapore Employment Guide

Maternity Leave Policy

Employees who have completed three consecutive months of service and are expecting a child are entitled to 16 weeks of fully paid maternity leave. The leave structure requires four weeks to be taken before the expected delivery date, eight weeks immediately following childbirth, with the remaining four weeks flexible based on employee preference. Compensation during this period is maintained at 100% of the employee's average salary, with the first eight weeks covered by the employer and the subsequent eight weeks funded through social insurance.

Paternity Leave Entitlements

Eligible employees with three months of continuous service can access two weeks of paid paternity leave. This leave must be taken consecutively within the 16-week maternity leave period. Employees receive their regular salary during this time, subject to a weekly cap of SGD 2,500, with payments administered through social insurance.

Shared Parental Leave Options

While Singapore's legislation doesn't mandate specific childcare leave, fathers have the option to share up to four weeks from the mother's 16-week maternity allocation. This shared parental leave provides salary compensation at standard rates, also capped at SGD 2,500 per week through social insurance channels.

Medical and Hospitalization Leave

Employees meeting the three-month service threshold qualify for up to 14 days of paid outpatient sick leave annually. For more serious medical conditions requiring hospitalization, eligible staff can access up to 60 days of paid hospitalization leave. Both types of medical leave provide full salary continuation, entirely employer-funded.

Leave entitlements progressively increase based on length of service, as detailed below:

International companies like SailGlobal often supplement these statutory requirements with additional benefits, recognizing that comprehensive leave policies contribute significantly to employee retention and workplace satisfaction.