Caregiver's Employment

If you are a working parent who meets the eligibility criteria and your child is a Singapore citizen:

• you are eligible for six days of Government-Paid Childcare Leave per year if you have with at least one child who is below seven years old; and
• you are eligible for two days of Extended Childcare Leave per year if you have at least one child who is between seven and 12 years old.

For those with Singaporean children in both age groups (i.e. below seven years, and seven to 12 years), the total Government-Paid Childcare Leave and Extended Childcare Leave for each parent is a maximum of six days per year.

In order to be eligible, the working parent must meet the following criteria:

• For employees: you have served your employer for at least three continuous months.
• For self-employed: you have been engaged in your work for at least three continuous months and have lost income during the childcare leave period.

If your child is not a Singapore citizen and is below seven years old, you may be entitled to two days of employer-paid childcare leave per year under the Employment Act 1968, if you have served your employer for at least three continuous months.

According to the Ministry of Manpower, legal guardians are eligible for Government-Paid Childcare Leave and Extended Childcare Leave if they meet the eligibility criteria. You should provide a copy of your Legal Guardianship document (i.e. Order of Court) to your employer, for verification on your eligibility.

Your employer should grant you your entitled paid childcare if you meet all the eligibility requirements under the law. This is a statutory entitlement. However, you and your employer may discuss and agree on the scheduling of the leave. If there is a dispute, you may contact the Ministry of Manpower or Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) for assistance.

There is currently no general statutory entitlement to "caregiving leave" (as distinct from paid childcare leave) in Singapore. However, if you are caring for a family member who is ill or elderly, you should check your employment contract, your company's HR policies, and any applicable collective agreements, as some employers offer additional leave types such as compassionate or family care leave. You may also be able to negotiate flexible arrangements with your employer.

Your employer is not required by law to grant flexible work arrangements. However, under the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, employers are required to consider formal flexible work arrangement requests properly and fairly and to provide written grounds if they reject a request. Employers cannot simply ignore or dismiss requests.

Under the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, you should make a formal written request to your employer. Your request should:

• State the type of flexible work arrangement you are seeking (for example, working from home, staggered hours, or reduced hours);
• Explain your reason (including your caregiving responsibilities); and
• Be directed to your direct manager or HR department, depending on your company's process.

Your employer must respond to your request within two months, and if the request is rejected, they must provide a written reason.

If you believe your request has been unfairly denied, you may:

1. Discuss the matter with your employer and request a reconsideration. If you are a union member, approach your union for advice.
2. If your employer has rejected your request and indicated reasons that are not business-related, you can approach the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) for assistance.

Note that while an employer must follow the proper process, the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests does not guarantee that every flexible work arrangement request will be granted—employers retain the right to reject requests for legitimate business reasons, as long as they follow proper procedures.

The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices require employers to hire and treat employees fairly based on merit, and discrimination due to caregiving responsibilities is generally not in line with these guidelines. You can:

1. Approach the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) to file a complaint or seek guidance. TAFEP deals with workplace discrimination and unfair employment practices;
2. Report an employment infringement to the Ministry of Manpower; and
3. Consult a lawyer about your options.

The new Workplace Fairness Act 2025 is slated to take effect in end-2027. It aims to strengthen fair and harmonious workplaces in Singapore and protect employees from discrimination based on protected characteristics such as caregiving responsibilities.

If you believe you have been dismissed unfairly or without good reason due to your caregiving role, you can:

1. File a wrongful dismissal claim with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) within one month of your dismissal. If your claim cannot be resolved at TADM, it will be referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT). If the ECT finds the dismissal wrongful, your employer may be ordered to reinstate you to your former job or compensate you.
2. Report to MOM if you believe your dismissal was related to exercising a statutory right (for example, going on childcare leave).
3. Consult a lawyer about your options if the situation is complex.

Find out more:

• Workright: Know Your Employment Rights by the Ministry of Manpower
• Flexible work arrangements for caregivers by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP)
• The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR) by TAFEP
• The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices by TAFEP
• Mediation and advice for managing employment-related disputes by the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM)
• Guide on filing an employment claims by SG Courts

Legal Guidance and Representation: 

• Legal Aid: Check what legal aid you can apply for here (Note: legal aid is for individuals unable to afford a lawyer, and the application process will likely involve means-testing).
• Find a Lawyer: If you do not qualify for legal aid, you may find a lawyer using the following directories:
  • Ministry of Law Directory
  • Law Society of Singapore Directory

Social assistance:

• Get assistance and advice on workplace matters: Enquire on general workplace matters or report unreasonable employment terms to TAFEP.
• Home Personal Care by the Agency for Integrated Care: For seniors who need help with daily personal care tasks because they are unable to do it themselves, do not have a caregiver, or if their caregivers need support or a break.