Singapore - Apply for GovernmentPaid Maternity Leave (GPML)

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Procedure

To Apply:

If you are an employee

1. Discuss with your employer your maternity leave plans, allowing your employer time to verify your eligibility and make alternative work arrangements. Note that even if you agree on a flexible maternity leave arrangement, the first 8 weeks of leave must be taken as one continuous block.
2. Submit the relevant declaration form (Form GPML1) to your employer, with all the necessary supporting documents.
3. Your employer may also use its own declaration form/system for you to declare your eligibility.
4. Apply for maternity leave in accordance to your companys leave application procedures.

To claim:

If you are self-employed

The Government will reimburse the income you lost for the days of maternity leave that you have taken.

The quantum of reimbursement, which is capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks, is calculated based on your notice of assessment from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).

1. Record your GPML dates. Keep a personal log of the leave dates taken.
2. Submit your claims online to the Central Provident Fund Board (CPF Board) within 3 months from the last day of your maternity leave.
3. If you do not have a standing payment instruction with the CPF Board, please submit a direct credit authorization form with the banks endorsement at least 1 week before making an online claim. This will enable CPF Board to upload your bank details onto your online application form.
4. Proceed to CPF website to make an online claim.
5. You may log on to my CPF Online Services with your SingPass to check on the status of your application. A notification letter will be sent to you once your application has been processed. Follow Link: https://www.singpass-services.gov.sg/basic/redirectLogin.do;jsessionid=Mr08RZPfh1Ysk1rr22GKy2VVpmTGHkHc4vyXpwhpGkrM5Gj0vypl!1879544113!-1592651170!1373196063307

Note: Late claims will not be entertained.

If you are the employer

1. Obtain the relevant declaration form and supporting documents from your employee at the point of application of GPML. You do not need to use GML1 if you are able to ascertain your employees eligibility with your companys forms/systems.
2. Submit your claims online to the CPF Board within 3 months from the last day of your maternity leave. Late claims will not be entertained.
3. Submit a Direct Credit Authorization form with the banks endorsement, to the CPF Board at least 1 week before the online GPML claim is submitted to enable CPF Board to upload your bank details onto your application form.
4. Proceed to CPF website to make an online claim.
5. You may log on to my cpf Online Services with your SingPass to check on the status of your application. A notification letter will also be sent to you and your employee once your application has been processed. Follow link: https://www.singpass-services.gov.sg/basic/redirectLogin.do;jsessionid=nHgJRZQbG4Kpn6TbKyVGHxnb326YzW6h7zYGn79WM1ZCQkmQbpGS!1879544113!-1592651170!1373196475206

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Required Documents

To Apply

• Declaration form (Form GPML1)

To Claim

For Self Employed:

• Direct credit authorization form with the banks endorsement

For Employers:

• Declaration form (Form GPML1)
• Direct credit authorization form with the banks endorsement

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of Manpower

18 Havelock Road, Singapore 059764

MonFri: 8.00 am 5.30pm

T: 6438 5122

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sgministryofmanpower

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MOM_sg

For other enquiries on maternity leave:

Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board

T: 1800 227 1188

E: [email protected]

Note: All operating hours listed exclude public holidays.

Eligibility

1. Your newborn child is a Singapore Citizen
2. You are lawfully married to your child's father
3. You have served your current employer (for employee) or engaged in a particular business, trade or profession (for self-employed) for a continuous period of at least 3 months immediately preceding the date of birth of the child.

Note:

• If you are not married to the childs father at the time of your childs birth, but are married within 12 months from the date of the child's birth, AND/OR if your child is not a Singapore Citizen but subsequently obtains Singapore Citizenship within the 12 months from the date of birth, you will be eligible for the unconsumed portion of your maternity leave entitlement, starting from the date of your marriage and/or your childs Singapore Citizenship to the eve of your childs first birthday.
• The unconsumed maternity leave entitlement must be taken within 12 months from the date of your childs birth. For example, if you marry your childs father 11 months after the childs birth, you can only claim a maximum of 1 months maternity leave.
• You cannot use maternity leave to offset the notice period when you leave your job.
• If your child is not a Singapore citizen,please visit the Ministry of Manpowers website for your maternity benefits.
• For specific scenarios such as birth of twins, premature birth, etc., please refer to the Ministry of Manpower's Website.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Processing Time

Please refer to the CPF website.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

Please provide instructions on obtaining the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

Required Information

A list which displays the kind of information which is required to complete the procedure.
e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

Need for the Document

Working mothers are given 16 weeks of paid maternity leave at the birth of their child with Singaporean citizenship. For the first two confinements, the first 8 weeks of maternity leave will be employer-paid, and the last 8 weeks will be funded by the Government. For the third and subsequent confinements, all 16 weeks of leave will be funded by the Government. The amount of reimbursement from the Government will be capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks (inclusive of CPF contributions).

The 16 weeks of paid maternity leave is to be consumed as a block and mothers can start taking maternity leave up to 4 weeks before the date of delivery of the child. The first 8 weeks of maternity leave MUST be consumed as a block. However, the last 8 weeks can be spread over the period of 12 months from the date of confinement, subject to the mutual agreement between the mother and her employer.

Beginning the 1st of May 2013, working mothers who are eligible for GPML can also share 1 week of her GPML with the childs father under the new Shared Parental Leave (SPL) scheme.

Note:

• 16 weeks of maternity leave can be consumed straight or spread over two or more periods within 12 months from the date the child is born.
• The first 8 weeks MUST be taken in one continuous period while the last 8 weeks can be taken flexibly subject to mutual agreement between the mother and her employer.
• Entitlement extends to stillbirth cases or a child who passes away shortly after birth.
• For each of your first 2 confinements: up to 8 weeks* of government-paid maternity leave (capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks or a total of $20,000 per confinement*)
• For each of your third and subsequent children: up to 16 weeks* of government-paid maternity leave (capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks or a total of $40,000 per confinement*).

Information which might help

• Check if you are eligible for maternity leave: https://aceonline.mom.gov.sg/iaces/emcl/index.aspx
• Estimate the amount of government-paid maternity leave you can claim: http://www.cpf.gov.sg/cpf_info/Calculator/GPL/gpl_main.asp?prof=sem&GPL_Type=GPML
• If you have a dispute with your employer concerning maternity leave, you can file a claim with MOM if you are covered under the Employment Act. Follow link for more details: http://www.mom.gov.sg/services-forms/labour-relations/Pages/esol-individual.aspx
• Before you make a claim against your employer, you can also make an appointment with MOM for a free consultation. Follow link for more details: http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/disputes-and-claims/Pages/ea-services.aspx

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• eCitizen : http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg/Topics/Pages/Maternity-leave-How-to-apply.aspx
• Ministry of Manpower : http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave-and-holidays/Pages/maternity-leave.aspx

Others

Transition Arrangement between 1 January 2013 and 30 April 2013 Shared Parental Leave Scheme:

The Shared Parental Leave (SPL) scheme will take effect from 1 May 2013. However, during the transition period from 1 Jan 2013 to 30 Apr 2013, the Government will still reimburse the fathers employer if the fathers employer is agreeable to voluntarily grant him SPL.