Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Singapore, has announced that the Government has modified its maternity leave subsidy scheme to allow companies to receive their payments earlier.

As of next month, Singapore employers will no longer have to wait until a worker uses up all their maternity leave before being reimbursed.

They will get part of the subsidy as long as half of the 16 weeks of leave mothers are entitled to, has been taken. The existing subsidy scheme requires the Government to reimburse businesses for half of the 16 weeks of leave but only after the mother has taken all the leave. Thus under the current system, companies may only recieve reimbursement as late as 12 months after delivery.

According to Dr Balakrishnan, the new arrangement would make the system fairer to employers, especially with the bleak economic climate. This will hopefully help to improve cashflow for companies and encourage them to support women who want to have children and to remember that in both good and tough times Singapore must continue to be a family-friendly society.

The Government has set up a new website for interested members to find out more on the 

• reimbursement of Government-Paid Maternity Leave
• reimbursement of Government-Paid Childcare Leave  

Click here to the Pro-Family Leave Schemes>>>