News

We thank Ms Jewel Yi for her feedback, and her support for the new Shared Parental Leave (SPL) scheme ( , Sept 2). We understand that cash flow is an important consideration for businesses. At the same time, we also have to ensure timely payment to employees and accountability for use of public funds. The new SPL scheme is designed to balance these considerations carefully. Paying on a reimbursement basis is a safeguard which ensures the leave is taken as intended before payment is released. As employers are best placed to confirm the leave consumption, they cannot be excluded from the payment process. If payment is made directly, verification by the Government will be necessary and employees will be able to receive their salary only later. Reimbursement also allows employees to continue receiving their salaries via existing payroll systems instead of having to grapple with a different payment process for SPL.  The reimbursement arrangement for the new SPL is similar to the existing arrangement for government-paid maternity and paternity leave schemes, which employers are familiar with. Claim submissions which are accurate and complete will typically be reimbursed within 10 working days. Employers are therefore encouraged to submit their claims as soon as possible with complete data to avoid cash flow issues. Employers can submit a claim for reimbursement for any portion of government-paid leave which has been taken, even when there is still remaining leave to be consumed. Employers may check the status of their claim on the Government-Paid Leave portal ( ) or contact the Ministry of Social and Family Development at  if they need more help. We seek employers’ continued support in fostering family-friendly workplaces, so that we can build a Singapore Made For Families. Director, Marriage & Parenthood Policy National Population and Talent Division Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office