Number of Private Companies Offering Childcare Sick Leave

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower for each year from 2021, what is the number of private companies offering childcare sick leave.

Dr Tan See Leng: All employers are required to offer up to six days of paid childcare leave 1 , as well as six days of unpaid infant care leave 2 a year under the law.

On top of these, employers may also voluntarily offer additional paid or unpaid child sick leave. Based on the latest available survey data from 2020, 3,635 or 27% of private companies voluntarily provided additional paid child sick leave to their employees 3, 4 .

Note(s) to Question No(s) 13:

1 Parents are eligible if (i) their child is below seven years of age; (ii) for employees, if they have served for a continuous period of at least three months. Parents of Singapore Citizen children are entitled to six days of paid childcare leave a year, while parents of non-citizens are entitled to two days a year.

2 Parents are eligible if (i) their child is below two years of age; (ii) their child is a Singapore Citizen; and (iii) if they have served their employer for a continuous period of at least three months.

3 Private companies, each with at least 25 employees, were surveyed.

4 Data pertains to permanent employees and employees on term contract of at least one year.