Civil servants to get 2 days of Parent-care Leave a year from 1 January 2012

Channel NewsAsia, 1 Dec 2011

Some 76,000 civil servants will get two days of parent-care leave per annum from next year.

With effect from 1 January 2012, civil servants can use this leave to care for their parents, including parents-in-law. Medical certification will not be required.

Explaining the introduction of parent-care leave for the Civil Service, 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 the parent-care leave, civil servants will also get three days of compassionate leave for the bereavement of their immediate family members from next year.

The parent-care leave and compassionate leave will come under the existing set of unrecorded leave for civil servants. Capped at a total of 14 days, unrecorded leave currently includes those for marriage, paternity, examination and union activities.

The introduction of parent-care leave and compassionate leave will not see a change in the total cap of 14 days.