Starting from 1 Jan 2012, Singapore’s 76,000 civil servants will enjoy 2 days of parent-care leave per year to take care of their parents or parents-in-law. This leave will be unrecorded and no medical certification is required.
Explaining this move, the Public Service Division said “With a rapidly ageing population and smaller family units, officers with elderly parents will need time to take care of them. The new parent-care leave reflects our position as a family-friendly employer.”
In addition to parent-care leave, officers in the civil service will also be entitled to 3 days of compassionate leave for the bereavement of immediate family members.
The newly introduced parent care leave and compassionate leave will be part of the existing set of unrecorded leave for officers in the civil service, which includes leaves for marriage, union activities, examinations, and paternity leave. Capped at 14 days, the total number of unrecorded leave remains unchanged.