GOVERNMENT-PAID MATERNITY LEAVE

GOVERNMENT-PAID MATERNITY LEAVE

5.

Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) what is the total amount of Government-paid maternity leave reimbursed over the last two years; (b) how many women benefited from the scheme and what were their profiles; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider loosening the criteria for eligibility so that more women can benefit from the enhanced maternity benefits.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: The amount of Government-paid maternity leave benefit disbursed in FY 2008 and FY 2009 were $65 million and $126 million respectively. The amount disbursed in FY 2009 was higher because paid maternity leave was increased by four weeks and extended to the fifth child and above in October 2008.

In FY 2009 about 15,000 working women benefited from the maternity leave payment. Eighty-three percent of them were in their first or second confinements. The majority of the women (63%) were aged 30-39 at the point of delivery; while another one-third (34%) were 20-29 years. By educational profile, 44% were degree-holders, 31% had post-secondary education while 24% had secondary or below education.

Mdm Halimah has asked if the criteria for Government-paid maternity leave could be relaxed to benefit more working women. I assume she is referring to employees on short-term contracts or whose contracts expire during pregnancy. Mr Seah Kian Peng had made a similar suggestion in Parliament in January this year as well as during the Committee of Supply debate in March. I am always supportive of helping working women reduce the opportunity cost of having children. In doing so we must make sure that the employability of women as well as viability of businesses are not unduly affected. Given the significant enhancements made to the Marriage and Parenthood measures in October 2008, we should allow more time to assess the impact of these measures. The Government would review if, how and when further enhancements can be made later on.

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