Indranee Rajah tells employers that workplace has changed, plan for short-notice caregiving leave
Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah stated in Parliament on 10 Sept that employers need to become more flexible for employees who need to take leave for caregiving.
She said that companies need to plan for manpower gaps at any given time from short-notice leaves.
Details of enhanced childcare leave to be announced in early 2027
During the National Day Rally on 23 Aug, Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong announced an increase in childcare leave.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore on YouTube
Parents with children below the age of 13 may receive up to 12 days of childcare leave yearly.
In the Parliament session on 10 Sept, Ms Indranee announced that the details of the leave enhancements will be provided in early 2027.
She explained that the enhancements will take time as they require legislative amendments. Employers also need time to prepare for their impact.
Source: MDDI Singapore on YouTube
The government will reimburse employers for the full duration of child-related leave, up to a cap.
Employers can use the reimbursement to hire temporary staff or recognise employees who take on extra responsibilities.
Indranee urges employers to change workplace mindsets on leave
“The longer-term solution to this issue is for workplaces to recognise and accept that leave for caregiving needs, such as parental leave, is now part and parcel of normal HR policy,” Ms Indranee said.
She recommended them to plan and design the workplace norms around this.
Workers’ Party’s (WP) Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Andre Low raised the concern that Singapore parents would become disadvantaged in hiring and careers.
He asked how the government would prevent this, as well as what support could be given to smaller employers such that they do not discourage parents from taking leave.
Source: MDDI Singapore on YouTube
Ms Indranee said that there has to be a change in mindsets.
The signal that we’re sending to all employers is that the workplace of today has changed. We cannot work on the same paradigm and model as we have for the last 10 and 20 years.
One employee on leave should not result in struggles to cover for work
Other than childcare leave, an ageing population means that more employees will need to take leave to care for elderly parents.
She warned that companies should not continue to operate such that one worker on leave results in struggles to fill the gap.
Source: charliepix on Canva, for illustration purposes only
Instead, she urged employers to start planning with the assumption that someone could take a leave at any point in time.
Ms Indranee pointed out that childcare leave may need to be taken on extremely short notice, as an example.
She said the government would look into upskilling companies, as well as on making sustainable arrangements for backfilling with outside staff.
Indranee Rajah highlights difference between flexible work and WFH
People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament (MP) Poh Li San brought up concerns that the enhanced leave could create a divide between parents and non-parents at work.
Ms Indranee said it would require workplace solutions such as job sharing and flexible work arrangements.
“Most employers […] equate flexible work arrangements with work-from-home,” she explained, saying it was incorrect.
Source: Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels, for illustration purposes only
Ms Indranee highlighted that the former was broader and includes flexi-time, where an employee makes up for missed work hours later in the day.
Ultimately, she also said that every sector is different.
As a result, the government had to approach the enormous task sector by sector.
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Featured image adapted from MDDI Singapore on YouTube and charliepix on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
