Employers can claim part of govt-paid maternity leave
earlier
SINGAPORE: The government has taken another step to help
companies and self-employed women with cashflow problems. From May,
they can claim the government's part of paid maternity leave
earlier.
Presently, under the Paid Maternity Leave scheme, employers can
seek reimbursement only after all the maternity leave has been
consumed. This means if an employee maximises the 12-month
flexibility to consume the maternity leave, employers will have to
wait till the end to seek reimbursement.
"In the current circumstances, that's not fair to the companies,"
said Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian
Balakrishnan during a visit to the Nee Soon South on Sunday.
"I also want to encourage companies to support women who wish to
have children. Remember that in both good and tough times we must
continue to be a family-friendly society and employers also have to
do their part. On the government side, we will also do our part to
help the employers. It's a win-win situation," he added.
So from May, employers and self-employed women can make one interim
claim any time after the mother has taken eight weeks of maternity
leave. The final claim will be after the remaining leave has been
taken.
Another win-win situation for Singapore will be greater integration
among Singaporeans with new citizens and permanent residents.
That's going to be a key priority of the National Integration
Council which Dr Balakrishnan will be chairing.
The council will tap ideas from schools, workplaces, the community
and media on ways to enhance social integration.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "The key thing, in the end, is we need to
build trust. We need to build a sense of understanding. You may not
be born in Singapore but you have chosen out of your free will to
commit to Singapore and be a citizen.
"And once you have made that decision, it's like marriage, you are
now part of the family and because you have decided Singapore is
your home and your children's future is here, we are in the same
boat building a brighter future.
"If we don't spend time doing this, I worry that with the rates of
immigration which we currently have, people will start feeling
anxious that perhaps Singapore is changing and is changing too
rapidly."
And he stressed Singaporeans will always continue to come first,
while the nation continues to welcome newcomers.
- CNA/ir