What Should Singapore Employers Review When Setting Up Parental Leave Policies?

Introduction

Parental leave policies are an important part of employee benefits and workforce planning in Singapore. They help employees manage childbirth, adoption, infant care, and family responsibilities while giving employers a structured way to plan staffing and payroll.

Setting up a parental leave policy involves more than deciding how many days employees can take. Employers must understand the different statutory leave schemes, check eligibility conditions, define application and approval procedures, manage government-paid leave reimbursements, and ensure that HR and payroll records are accurate.

Singapore's parental leave framework has also expanded. From 1 April 2026, eligible working parents of children born or adopted under the applicable qualifying dates can receive up to 10 weeks of Shared Parental Leave (SPL), in addition to applicable maternity, paternity, or adoption leave. This makes it especially important for employers to review their policies and HR software configurations.

This article explains the key areas Singapore employers should review when establishing or updating parental leave policies.

1. Understand the Different Types of Parental Leave in Singapore

Employers should begin by identifying the statutory leave schemes that may apply to employees becoming parents through childbirth or adoption.

Singapore's parental leave framework includes several categories:

• Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML).
• Maternity leave under the Employment Act.
• Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL).
• Shared Parental Leave (SPL).
• Adoption Leave.
• Childcare Leave.
• Extended Childcare Leave.
• Unpaid Infant Care Leave.

Each category has its own eligibility conditions, duration, payment arrangements, and application requirements.

Leave category	General entitlement	Main purpose
Government-Paid Maternity Leave	16 weeks	Supports eligible working mothers after childbirth
Employment Act maternity leave	12 weeks	Maternity leave for eligible employees who do not qualify for GPML
Government-Paid Paternity Leave	Up to 4 weeks	Supports eligible fathers following childbirth or adoption
Shared Parental Leave	10 weeks for qualifying children from 1 April 2026	Allows eligible parents to share additional paid leave
Adoption Leave	12 weeks	Supports eligible adoptive mothers
Government-Paid Childcare Leave	6 days per year	Supports eligible parents of Singapore citizen children below 7
Extended Childcare Leave	2 days per year	Supports eligible parents of Singapore citizen children aged 7–12
Unpaid Infant Care Leave	12 days per year	Supports eligible parents of Singapore citizen children below 2

Employers should not treat all these benefits as one combined parental leave entitlement. Each should be separately explained in the employee handbook and configured correctly in the HR system.

2. Review the Eligibility Conditions for Each Leave Scheme

Eligibility is one of the most important areas to review when setting up a parental leave policy.

Factors such as the employee's length of service, the child's citizenship, the child's age, the parent's relationship to the child, and the employee's employment arrangement can affect entitlement.

For example, eligibility for the full 16 weeks of GPML generally requires:

• The child to be a Singapore citizen.
• The employee has served the employer continuously for at least three months before the child's birth.

Eligible employees who do not meet the conditions for GPML may instead qualify for 12 weeks of maternity leave under the Employment Act, subject to its requirements.

For paternity and shared parental leave, employers should also check the applicable citizenship, marital status, service, and other scheme-specific conditions.

A policy should explain that statutory eligibility is assessed separately for each leave scheme. Employees should not be assumed to qualify for every parental benefit simply because they are eligible for maternity or paternity leave.

3. Include the 2026 Shared Parental Leave Changes

One of the most important updates employers should consider is the expanded Shared Parental Leave scheme.

For eligible working parents:

• Children born or adopted between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 generally qualify for six weeks of SPL.
• Children born or adopted from 1 April 2026 generally qualify for 10 weeks of SPL.

The 10 weeks are shared between both parents. By default, the entitlement is allocated equally, giving each parent five weeks. Parents can change the sharing arrangement through the applicable LifeSG process.

The new SPL is provided in addition to eligible maternity, paternity, or adoption leave.

Employers should review whether their policies and HR systems can:

• Identify the correct SPL entitlement based on the child's birth date or the adoptive parent's Formal Intent to Adopt date.
• Record the allocation between parents.
• Verify the employee's allocated weeks.
• Track leave taken by each parent.
• Manage changes to the sharing arrangement.
• Monitor the deadline for using the entitlement.
• Support government reimbursement claims.

Eligible parents generally need to use SPL within the first 12 months of the child's birth or the applicable adoption milestone. Employers and employees should discuss the leave schedule as early as possible.

The expanded SPL scheme makes it particularly important for HR teams to coordinate leave plans with workforce scheduling and payroll.

4. Define the Policy for Maternity Leave

Employers should clearly explain maternity leave entitlements, eligibility, notice requirements, payment, and scheduling arrangements.

Eligible mothers of Singapore citizen children may receive 16 weeks of GPML. Employees who qualify under the Employment Act but do not meet the GPML conditions may receive 12 weeks of maternity leave.

The policy should explain:

• Who qualifies for 16 weeks of GPML.
• Who qualifies for 12 weeks of Employment Act maternity leave.
• When employees should notify their employer.
• How maternity leave dates are planned.
• Whether flexible leave arrangements can be agreed.
• How salary is paid during leave.
• How government reimbursement is handled.
• What documents HR requires.

Eligible employees generally need to provide at least four weeks' notice before starting GPML, or inform the employer as soon as possible in the event of delivery occurring earlier than expected. For Employment Act maternity leave, the general notice requirement is at least one week before leave begins, subject to the applicable rules.

The policy should also explain that flexible maternity leave arrangements require agreement between the employer and employee where the statutory scheme provides for such flexibility.

Employers should avoid creating internal notice procedures that undermine statutory entitlements.

5. Establish a Clear Paternity Leave Policy

Paternity leave enables eligible fathers to support their partners and care for newborn children.

For eligible fathers of Singapore citizen children born or adopted on or after 1 April 2025, four weeks of GPPL is provided as a mandatory entitlement, subject to the scheme's eligibility requirements.

For earlier qualifying dates, different arrangements may apply. In particular, the additional two weeks for eligible children born or adopted from 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2025 were available on a voluntary basis with employer agreement.

The employer's paternity leave policy should specify:

• Eligibility conditions.
• Required service period.
• Applicable child citizenship requirements.
• Leave duration based on the relevant birth or adoption date.
• Application and notification procedures.
• Whether leave can be taken flexibly by agreement.
• Payroll treatment.
• Government reimbursement procedures.

Employers should also explain how paternity leave interacts with Shared Parental Leave.

A clear policy helps fathers understand their entitlements and allows HR teams to plan staffing during the period surrounding childbirth.

6. Review Adoption Leave Provisions

Parental leave policies should cover employees who become parents through adoption.

Eligible adoptive mothers may receive 12 weeks of paid Adoption Leave under the applicable scheme.

Eligibility generally depends on factors including:

• The child's age at the Formal Intent to Adopt stage.
• The child's citizenship or applicable adoption-related conditions.
• The employee's continuous service period.
• The date of Formal Intent to Adopt.
• The completion of the adoption process within the required period.

Employers should explain how employees notify HR about an adoption, what supporting information is needed, when leave can begin, and how it should be recorded.

The policy should also distinguish Adoption Leave from Shared Parental Leave. Eligible adoptive parents may qualify for the relevant shared leave scheme, subject to its specific conditions.

Because adoption involves sensitive family information, employers should restrict access to supporting documents and collect only information necessary to administer the leave.

7. Include Childcare and Extended Childcare Leave

A comprehensive parental leave policy should continue beyond the child's infancy.

Eligible employees may qualify for childcare leave and extended childcare leave depending on the child's citizenship, age, and the employee's service period.

Generally:

• Eligible parents of Singapore citizen children below seven years old may receive up to six days of paid childcare leave annually.
• Eligible parents of Singapore citizen children aged seven to 12 may receive up to two days of Extended Childcare Leave annually.

For eligible employees with children in both age groups, the total paid childcare leave entitlement is generally subject to a combined six-day annual limit.

The policy should explain how employees apply for these benefits, how annual entitlements are calculated, and how unused statutory childcare leave is treated.

Employers should maintain separate records for childcare leave and parental leave taken around childbirth. This helps prevent employees from receiving incorrect balances or having different statutory leave categories combined.

8. Consider Unpaid Infant Care Leave

Eligible working parents of Singapore citizen children below two years old may receive 12 days of unpaid infant care leave per year.

Employees generally need to have completed at least three continuous months of service. The entitlement applies to each eligible parent, subject to the statutory requirements.

The employer's policy should clarify:

• Who qualifies.
• The child's applicable age and citizenship conditions.
• The relevant 12-month leave period.
• How employees apply.
• How managers and HR coordinate approval.
• How unpaid leave is reflected in payroll.

The policy should also encourage employees to discuss dates with their managers early, particularly when leave is required for matters such as immunisation or medical appointments.

Because this is unpaid leave, payroll should distinguish it from paid parental and childcare leave.

9. Define Leave Notice and Application Procedures

Employees should understand how to notify their employer about expected childbirth, adoption, and planned parental leave.

Employers should establish a consistent application process covering:

1. Initial notification to HR or the reporting manager.
2. Submission of the relevant leave request.
3. Verification of eligibility.
4. Discussion of proposed leave dates.
5. Review of any required supporting documents.
6. Approval or confirmation of the leave arrangement.
7. Recording of leave in the HR system.
8. Payroll and reimbursement processing.

The policy should distinguish between advance notification requirements and the process for requesting specific leave dates.

For Shared Parental Leave, eligible employees generally need to provide at least four weeks' notice. Parents and employers should discuss the proposed arrangement early, including whether the leave will be taken continuously or in separate periods.

Employers should also explain how urgent or unexpected situations will be handled.

10. Establish Fair Approval and Scheduling Procedures

Parental leave can affect staffing levels, project schedules, and business operations. Employers should establish practical procedures for planning work coverage without undermining statutory entitlements.

The policy should explain:

• Who receives parental leave applications.
• Who verifies statutory eligibility.
• Who coordinates leave dates.
• How employees receive confirmation.
• How alternative dates are discussed where agreement is required.
• How managers arrange temporary work coverage.
• How HR handles unresolved requests.

Managers should receive guidance on handling parental leave fairly and consistently.

For example, an employee may plan to take maternity leave followed by Shared Parental Leave. HR should coordinate the proposed dates, check the employee's eligibility, and discuss any flexible arrangements that require mutual agreement.

Approval workflows should not be designed to create unreasonable barriers to statutory leave.

11. Clarify Salary Payments and Government Reimbursements

Parental leave policies should explain who pays the employee and which amounts may be reimbursed by the Government.

Different leave schemes have different funding arrangements.

For example, under GPML, the employer generally pays the employee during the leave period and may subsequently claim government reimbursement within the applicable limits.

For eligible employees taking GPPL and SPL, government reimbursement is also available subject to the relevant scheme conditions and caps.

A policy should clarify:

• Whether the leave is fully paid, partially paid, or unpaid.
• Which portion is employer-funded.
• Which portion is government-reimbursable.
• The applicable reimbursement cap.
• Who submits the reimbursement claim.
• What information payroll needs.
• How claim records are reconciled.

For example, eligible employees taking 16 weeks of GPML for a first or second child generally receive employer payment for the first eight weeks, while the Government reimburses the last eight weeks up to the applicable cap. Different reimbursement arrangements apply for third and subsequent children.

Payroll teams should not assume that all parental leave payments are funded in the same way.

12. Explain the Interaction Between Different Leave Types

Employees may qualify for several leave schemes around the same period.

For example, an eligible employee may have access to:

• Maternity or paternity leave.
• Shared Parental Leave.
• Childcare leave.
• Unpaid Infant Care Leave.
• Annual leave under the applicable employment terms.

The policy should explain how these categories interact and whether one type of leave must be used before another.

For eligible employees, the new SPL generally follows the consumption of the relevant maternity, paternity, or adoption leave. Employers and employees should agree on the proposed sequence and dates.

HR software should maintain separate balances and prevent the same period from being incorrectly recorded under multiple leave categories.

A clear explanation of how leave categories interact helps employees plan family care and helps HR teams avoid duplicate payments or incorrect deductions.

13. Establish Employee Protection and Non-Discrimination Guidelines

Employers should ensure that parental leave policies comply with statutory employment protections and support fair treatment.

The policy should make clear that employees will not be penalised for exercising their lawful parental leave entitlements.

Employers should review their practices relating to:

• Dismissal during protected maternity or adoption leave.
• Unfair treatment because an employee is pregnant or has family responsibilities.
• Performance reviews during extended leave.
• Promotion and career development opportunities.
• Return-to-work arrangements.
• Flexible work requests following parental leave.

Managers should not assume that employees taking parental leave are less committed to their jobs.

Employers should also review how performance targets and work allocation are handled when employees are absent for an extended period.

A fair approach helps maintain employee confidence and supports a family-friendly workplace culture.

14. Plan Return-to-Work Arrangements

Parental leave policies should explain what happens when employees return to work.

A return-to-work process may include:

• Confirming the employee's expected return date.
• Reviewing outstanding responsibilities.
• Reassigning projects or clients.
• Updating the employee on workplace changes.
• Discussing flexible working arrangements.
• Reviewing workload and priorities.
• Reintroducing the employee to relevant teams and systems.

For example, an employee returning after maternity leave may need time to resume project responsibilities or coordinate with colleagues who managed their duties during the absence.

Employers can also provide a structured discussion between HR, the employee, and the reporting manager before the return date.

This helps avoid confusion and makes the transition more manageable.

15. Review Flexible Work Arrangements for Working Parents

Parental leave is only one part of supporting employees with family responsibilities.

Employers should also consider flexible work arrangements, including:

• Flexible start and end times.
• Part-time work.
• Hybrid working.
• Remote working where suitable.
• Compressed work schedules.
• Temporary adjustments to working hours.

Under Singapore's Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, employers should have a proper process for considering formal requests. Employers are expected to consider requests properly and provide a reasoned response within the prescribed timeframe.

A parental leave policy should explain how employees can submit flexible work requests after returning from leave.

Flexible arrangements can help working parents manage childcare responsibilities while remaining engaged in the workplace.

16. Configure HR Software to Manage Parental Leave

HR software can make parental leave administration more accurate and efficient.

Employers should ensure that their systems support separate leave categories, eligibility rules, employee records, approval workflows, and payroll integration.

Important software capabilities include:

Software feature	Purpose
Separate parental leave categories	Distinguishes maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave
Eligibility verification	Checks service periods and relevant child information
Automated entitlement calculations	Calculates statutory leave balances
Shared leave tracking	Records the allocation between parents
Employee self-service	Allows employees to submit and track requests
Approval workflows	Routes applications to the relevant manager or HR team
Leave calendar	Displays planned parental leave and team availability
Payroll integration	Transfers paid and unpaid leave information
Reimbursement tracking	Supports government claim administration
Document management	Stores necessary supporting information securely
Audit trails	Records changes and approval decisions
Reporting	Provides leave usage and workforce planning data

For SPL, HR software should be able to accommodate both the six-week entitlement for the relevant 2025–2026 cohort and the 10-week entitlement for qualifying children from 1 April 2026.

Employers should also test the system with different family situations, employment arrangements, and leave-sharing combinations before implementation.

17. Protect Employee and Family Information Under the PDPA

Parental leave administration involves personal information about employees and their families.

HR teams may need to process information such as:

• Child's date of birth.
• Child citizenship.
• Adoption-related information.
• Employee eligibility declarations.
• Leave dates.
• Government reimbursement records.

Employers should ensure that this information is collected and handled according to applicable Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) obligations.

Important safeguards include:

• Role-based access permissions.
• Secure employee authentication.
• Encryption where appropriate.
• Restricted access to family documents.
• Audit logs for changes and access.
• Secure document storage.
• Defined retention and deletion procedures.
• Appropriate contractual safeguards with HR software providers.

Managers should receive only the information needed for workforce planning. They should not automatically receive access to sensitive adoption documents or other family records.

Employers should also avoid collecting unnecessary information about children or family members.

18. Review Parental Leave Policies for Different Employee Groups

Employers may have employees with different employment arrangements and family circumstances.

The policy should explain how statutory and contractual entitlements apply to:

• Full-time employees.
• Part-time employees.
• Fixed-term contract employees.
• Employees on probation.
• Employees transferring between business units.
• Employees returning from extended leave.
• Employees working across different locations.

For example, part-time employees may have entitlements calculated according to applicable rules and working hours. HR teams should not automatically apply the same leave calculation used for full-time employees.

Employers should also review how parental leave is administered when an employee changes working hours or employment status.

The policy should clearly distinguish statutory requirements from additional benefits offered under the employment contract.

19. Maintain Accurate Parental Leave Records

Employers should maintain complete records of parental leave applications, entitlements, approvals, payments, and reimbursements.

Useful records include:

Record	Purpose
Employee details	Identifies the employee and service period
Leave category	Identifies the relevant statutory scheme
Child-related eligibility information	Supports eligibility verification
Leave entitlement	Records the employee's available benefit
Application dates	Shows when the employee submitted the request
Approved leave dates	Records the actual leave period
Leave usage	Tracks the amount consumed
Payroll information	Supports salary processing
Reimbursement records	Tracks government claims
Approval history	Records administrative decisions
Leave adjustments	Explains corrections and changes

Employers should also establish suitable retention procedures and ensure that records can be retrieved when required for audits, payroll reviews, or employee queries.

Conclusion

Setting up a parental leave policy in Singapore requires employers to review more than the duration of maternity and paternity leave. They must consider the complete range of statutory benefits, including Shared Parental Leave, Adoption Leave, Childcare Leave, Extended Childcare Leave, and Unpaid Infant Care Leave.

The expansion of Shared Parental Leave to 10 weeks from 1 April 2026 makes it particularly important for employers to update their employee handbooks, HR software, payroll procedures, and workforce planning arrangements.

A well-designed policy should clearly explain eligibility, application procedures, leave scheduling, payment responsibilities, government reimbursements, employee protections, and return-to-work arrangements.

By combining accurate statutory information with consistent HR processes and suitable technology, Singapore employers can support working parents while maintaining reliable workforce and payroll administration.

Review policy categories, eligibility information and approval steps before configuring parental leave. Use InnBuilt as a workflow tool while checking current Singapore rules separately.