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Government-Paid Maternity Leave

Support mothers in recovering from delivery and caring for their newborn children.

About the scheme

Eligible working mothers can enjoy up to 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML), to be taken within 12 months from the child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

Employment type	For the 1st and 2nd child order^	For the 3rd and subsequent child order^
For employees	Your employer will pay for the 1st to 8th week of your GPML, at the gross rate of pay. The Government will reimburse your employer for the 9th to 16th week of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $20,000 per child order.	The Government will reimburse your employer for all 16 weeks of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $40,000 per child order.
For self-employed parents	The Government will reimburse the 9th to 16th week of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $20,000 per child order. The first 8 weeks are not reimbursable.	The Government will reimburse all 16 weeks of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $40,000 per child order.

Employment type

For the 1st and 2nd child order^

For the 3rd and subsequent child order^

For employees

Your employer will pay for the 1st to 8th week of your GPML, at the gross rate of pay.

The Government will reimburse your employer for the 9th to 16th week of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $20,000 per child order.

The Government will reimburse your employer for all 16 weeks of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $40,000 per child order.

For self-employed parents

The Government will reimburse the 9th to 16th week of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $20,000 per child order.

The first 8 weeks are not reimbursable.

The Government will reimburse all 16 weeks of your GPML, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks* or up to $40,000 per child order.

* Government reimbursement is capped at a daily rate of [$10,000 / (4 x working days a week)].

^ Multiple births (e.g. twins) are considered one child order. A mother of multiple births will receive the same GPML entitlement as a mother with a single birth.

Who is eligible

1. Child’s profile

Your child is a Singapore Citizen (SC) at birth or becomes a SC within 12 months from your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth) - Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) can only be consumed after the child obtains SC and within 12 months of your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

2. Employment status

For employees: You have served your employer for a continuous period of at least 3 months right before your child’s date of birth.
If you have worked for less than 3 months, you may still qualify for GPML if your employer is agreeable to grant you leave. The Government will reimburse your employer the Government-Paid portion of your GPML if:
- you have served your employer at the point of your child’s date of birth,
- you have not claimed Government-Paid Maternity Benefit for the same child, and
- provided that the information declared in the claim is complete and accurate, and it does not contain any error or any false or misleading statement, document, or information.
For self-employed parents: You have been engaged in a particular trade, business, profession or vocation for a continuous period of at least 3 months right before your child’s date of birth, and have lost income from ceasing to be actively engaged during your GPML period.

*You may use the GPML self-assessment tool for more details on your eligibility and entitlement.

How the entitlement is calculated

For both employers and self-employed parents: You may refer here to find out how the reimbursement is calculated.

For employers, you may use the calculator here to estimate the amount of reimbursement from the Government.

How and when GPML can be taken

For employees

1. Plan and notify

Please discuss and agree on your leave plans with your employer as early as possible. Details of the leave plan to agree on include:
- Whether leave will be taken in one continuous block or non-continuously in separate smaller blocks.
- Start and end date of leave period(s).
If agreement between employer and employee cannot be reached, Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) should be taken in one continuous block, starting 4 weeks before the child’s date of birth, with 4 weeks’ notice to the employer. The employer can choose to waive or shorten the notice period.

2. Important notes

When you leave your employment, GPML can be used to serve your notice period for termination of employment, but you cannot bring forward your official last day (e.g. if your official last working day is 30 June and you are serving 1 month’s notice from 1 June, you are allowed to take GPML during this period, but your official end date will still remain as 30 June).
If it was agreed for GPML to be taken non-continuously, and you did not consume the 9th to 16th weeks of your GPML (wholly or partially) before the termination of your employment, you will not be eligible for payment from your employer in lieu of leave taking, and unconsumed GPML cannot be brought forward to your next employment. You may however be eligible for Government-Paid Maternity Benefit from the Government if your employment is terminated due to contract expiry or retrenchment, and you meet the criteria.

Type of arrangement	When GPML can be taken	Total duration
Default arrangement; or No agreement between employer and employee	Start date: No earlier than 4 weeks before the child’s date of birth and no later than child’s date of birth^. 16 weeks* taken in one continuous block. ^ With 4 weeks' notice to employer. Employer can choose to waive or shorten the notice period.	16 weeks*
Mutual agreement between employer and employee	Start date: No earlier than 28 days before the child’s date of birth and no later than child’s date of birth. 8 weeks (taken in one continuous block), and another 8 weeks (either continuously or non-continuously) within 12 months of the child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

Type of arrangement

When GPML can be taken

Total duration

Default arrangement; or

No agreement between employer and employee

Start date: No earlier than 4 weeks before the child’s date of birth and no later than child’s date of birth^.

16 weeks* taken in one continuous block.

^ With 4 weeks' notice to employer. Employer can choose to waive or shorten the notice period.

16 weeks*

Mutual agreement between employer and employee

Start date: No earlier than 28 days before the child’s date of birth and no later than child’s date of birth.

8 weeks (taken in one continuous block), and another 8 weeks (either continuously or non-continuously) within 12 months of the child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

* For the 1st and 2nd child order, your employer will pay for the 1st to 8th week of your GPML at the gross rate of pay and the Government will reimburse your employer for the 9th to 16th week of your GPML. For the 3rd and subsequent child order, the Government will reimburse your employer for all 16 weeks of your GPML. Reimbursement is subject to a reimbursement cap (see About the scheme above).

For self-employed parents

1. Record your GPML dates

2. Important notes

If you do not qualify for Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) due to your employment arrangements, you may still be eligible for Government-Paid Maternity Benefit.

Type of arrangement	When GPML can be taken	Total duration
Self-employed parents	Start date: No earlier than 4 weeks before child’s date of birth and no later than child’s date of birth 16 weeks taken in one continuous block Or Start date: No earlier than 28 days before child’s date of birth and no later than child’s date of birth 8 weeks (taken in one continuous block), and another 8 weeks (either continuously or non-continuously) within 12 months of the child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth)	16 weeks*

*For the 1st and 2nd child order, the Government will reimburse the 9th to 16th week of your GPML and the first 8 weeks are not reimbursable. For the 3rd and subsequent child order, the Government will reimburse all 16 weeks of your GPML. Reimbursement is subject to a reimbursement cap (see About the scheme above).

How to apply and claim

For employees

1. Plan and notify

Notify your employer on your leave arrangements early so that they can verify your eligibility and make alternative work arrangements.

2. Apply for GPML

Your employer may require you to submit your required supporting documents and for you to apply for Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) according to your employer’s leave application procedures.
Should you be applicable for GPML under your employer, no submission of claim is required – your employer will submit any claims for reimbursement*, as applicable.

For self-employed parents

1. Record your GPML dates

Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) can be taken:
- For 16 weeks in one continuous block starting no earlier than 4 weeks before your child’s date of birth; or
- For 8 weeks (taken in one continuous block) starting no earlier than 28 days but no later than your child’s date of birth, and another 8 weeks (either continuously or non-continuously) within 12 months of your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

2. Submit your claim

Submit your claims online via the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal after you have commenced your Government-paid portion* of GPML.
You may submit a claim for reimbursement for any part of the GPML that has been taken and for the Government-paid portion. There is no need to fully complete the Government-paid portion of your GPML before you submit a claim, and multiple claims are allowed.
Submission should be made no later than 3 months after the last date of your GPML.

3. Check application status

You may check your application status on the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal.
If additional information is required, an officer will follow up with you after your submission.

* For the 1st and 2nd child order, the Government will reimburse the 9th to 16th week of your GPML and the first 8 weeks are not reimbursable. For the 3rd and subsequent child order, the Government will reimburse all 16 weeks of your GPML. Reimbursement is subject to a reimbursement cap (see About the scheme above).

To note
As a self-employed parent, you will be eligible for payment for the income lost during the Government-paid portion of the GPML taken. This is calculated based on your relevant Notice of Assessment from Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). Please refer to our service standards for the processing time.

For employers

1. Verify employee’s eligibility

Confirm your employee qualifies for Government-Paid Leave schemes before their leave starts.
You may use MSF’s declaration form, or your own form/system to capture your employee’s declaration.
- This declaration form is to guide you in verifying the employee’s eligibility. You are not required to submit this form when submitting the claim for reimbursement.

2. Submit reimbursement claim

Submit your claim for reimbursement online via the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal after your employee has taken the Government-paid portion* of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML).
You may submit a claim for reimbursement for any part of the GPML that has been taken and for the Government-paid portion. Your employee does not need to fully complete the Government-paid portion of GPML before you submit a claim, and multiple claims for the same employee are allowed.
Submission should be made no later than 3 months after the last date of your employee’s GPML.

3. Check application status

You may check your application status on the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal.
Please refer to our service standards for the processing time.
A notification will be sent to you and your employee once your application is approved.

* For your employee’s 1st and 2nd child order, the Government-paid portion of GPML is the 9th to 16th week of the GPML. For your employee’s 3rd and subsequent child order, the Government-paid portion of GPML is all 16 weeks of the GPML. Reimbursement is subject to a reimbursement cap (see About the scheme above).