Navigating maternity leave entitlements in Singapore can seem complex, but it boils down to two main scenarios: 16 weeks or 12 weeks, largely depending on the child’s citizenship.
1. 16 Weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML)
This is the entitlement when the child is a Singapore citizen.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the full 16 weeks, working mothers must meet these criteria:
- For Employees: Must have served their employer for a continuous period of at least 3 months before the child’s birth.
- For Self-Employed: Must have been engaged in work for at least 3 continuous months and lost income during the maternity leave period.
- Notice Requirement: The mother must give the employer at least 4 weeks’ notice before going on GPML, or inform them as soon as possible of the delivery. Failing to give proper notice may result in the employee only being entitled to half the payment during maternity leave, unless there is a valid reason for the lack of notice.
Payment and Reimbursement
The employer pays the employee during the maternity leave period and then claims reimbursement from the Government according to the GPML scheme:
| Child Order | Paid by Employer | Reimbursed by Government |
| First and second | First 8 weeks, at the employee’s gross rate of pay | Last 8 weeks, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks or a total of $20,000 per child order. |
| Third and subsequent | N/A (Paid by Government). |
All 16 weeks are reimbursed by the Government, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks or a total of $40,000 per child order.
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2. 12 Weeks of Maternity Leave
This entitlement applies when the child is a non-Singapore citizen and the employee is covered by the Employment Act.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the 12 weeks of leave, the employee must have worked for the employer or been self-employed for at least 3 continuous months before the child’s birth.
Payment Structure
The payment structure for the 12 weeks is as follows:
- First 8 Weeks Paid: The employer will pay the usual monthly salary for the first 8 weeks of leave, provided the employee:
- Has served the employer for at least 3 continuous months before the birth.
- Has fewer than 2 living children of their own at the time of delivery.
- Has given the employer at least 1 week’s notice before going on leave and informed them as soon as possible of the delivery17. Failure to give notice may result in only half the payment during leave, unless there is a valid reason.
- Note: In the case of multiple births (like twins) during the first pregnancy, the employer is still required to pay 8 weeks of maternity leave for the next pregnancy.
- Last 4 Weeks Unpaid: The last 4 weeks of maternity leave is unpaid by regulation. Whether the employer chooses to pay the employee for these final 4 weeks depends on the employment contract.
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Source: https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/maternity-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement
