Pregnancy

Expectant Singapore Employees: All You Should Know About Your Maternity Leave

An individual piece published not  long ago uncovered the challenges faced by expectant employees in Singapore. The article was an eye-opener into the real situation , especially for currently employed Singaporean women who  are looking forward to having kids.

There is a need for pregnant women to understand their rights in  the workplace. Different companies may have different policies which may be beyond those which are required  by the government.For foreign employees, you should ensure you have met all the Singapore employment pass requirements in order to be eligible for maternity leave.

Maternity Leave

Before going any further, you are required to know the standards that will make you eligible for maternity leave.

Firstly, the child  must be a Singaporean citizen at birth. Secondly, expectant women need to have worked for three consecutive months before the birth of the child.Lastly, you are entitled to maternity leave benefits, which include a monthly salary and any other allowances if applicable.

Expectant women who meet the above criteria are eligible for  a four-month paid maternity leave. Foreign employers are only likely to be granted a three-month entitlement.

When it comes to expenses, for your first and second births, the  first two months of maternity leave will be covered by your employer. After that, the government will take charge  of the costs for the final two months. In the case that you have an abortion or suffer from a miscarriage, you will not be eligible for the 16 weeks of maternity leave.

What Could Cause an Expectant Employee to Be Fired

Should an employee’s contract be terminated while expectant, it must be purely on applicable and unbiased performance standards. Additionally, a thorough and intensive inquiry should be made prior to the dismissal. Certain behavioral  misconduct that can cost a pregnant employee her job are be dishonesty, theft or immoral behavior at work.

Quitting While You Are Expectant

There is no policy that stops  a woman from resigning from her job . Nevertheless, it is wise to think about the future.  By walking out of your job , you lose your maternity leave benefits.

On the other hand, if you gain  employment at a different workplace -while still pregnant- and work for three continuous months before giving birth, you will be entitled to the 16 weeks leave entitlement from your new employer.  However, that depends on whether you can find another job while still pregnant.

Maternity Protection for Expectant Employees

In order to protect the rights of expectant employees, there is a maternity protection clause. Maternity protection applies to all pregnant employees who have been in their position of work for three continuous months.

The maternity leave protection states that, should an employee be dismissed by her employer without any valid reason, the employer is still required to cover the maternity  expenses.

Expectant women are advised to notify their employers of their pregnancy at an early stage. This will help the employer plan , reschedule or re-delegate your tasks and even recruit additional staff to help cover tasks

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