PATERNITY LEAVE FOR EMPLOYEES

Column: 3107

PATERNITY LEAVE FOR EMPLOYEES: **

(Legislation): **

39.

Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Acting Minister for Manpower whether there are any plans for legislation on the granting of paternity leave to employees.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Prime Minister announced the enhanced Marriage and Parenthood (M&P) package in his National Day Rally speech. This was further elaborated on by the Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng last week. The enhanced package seeks to foster an overall pro-family environment to support Singaporeans in getting married and having children.

The Government recognises that working fathers play an important role in raising children. This is why as part of the enhanced M&P package, from 1st January 2009, parents with Singapore Citizen children under the age of seven years will be entitled to six days of paid childcare leave each per year, an increase from the current two days. A new unpaid infant care leave of six days per year per parent will also be introduced for those with Singapore Citizen children under the age of two years. There is, therefore, no need to introduce paternity leave as working fathers will benefit from these two leave entitlements.