Definition
Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) is Singapore's 16 weeks of paid maternity leave for working mothers whose child is a Singapore citizen and who have served their employer for at least three continuous months before the birth. The employer pays the mother, and the Government reimburses part or all of the cost.
Who qualifies for 16 weeks of GPML
An employee qualifies for GPML when her child is a Singapore citizen and she has served her employer for a continuous period of at least three months before the birth. Self-employed mothers can qualify if they have worked for at least three continuous months and lose income during the leave.
Mothers who do not meet the GPML conditions may still be covered by the Employment Act, which gives 12 weeks of maternity leave to employees covered by the Act with at least three months of continuous service immediately before the birth. On that route, the employer pays the first 8 weeks if the mother has fewer than two living children at delivery, and the last 4 weeks are unpaid unless the contract provides otherwise.
If you need cover while an employee is on leave, springhire lets you screen applicants for the role with one-way video interviews that candidates record in their own time.
Who pays: the employer and Government shares
For a first or second child, the employer pays the first 8 weeks at the employee's gross rate of pay, and the Government reimburses the employer for the last 8 weeks, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks and $20,000 per child. For a third or subsequent child, the Government reimburses all 16 weeks, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks and $40,000 per child.
In practice, an employee earning $6,000 a month on her second child receives her full pay for all 16 weeks. The employer funds weeks 1 to 8 and claims back weeks 9 to 16, which sit well under the $10,000 per 4 weeks cap.
Notice and record keeping
Employees should give at least four weeks' notice before starting GPML, or tell you as soon as possible after the birth. Without that notice, and without a good reason, they are entitled to only half pay during the leave. Under the Employment Act route, the notice period is one week. A common payroll error is paying the first 8 weeks at basic salary only, when GPML is paid at the gross rate. Keep the leave dates and pay records together so your reimbursement claim matches what you actually paid.
Changes announced in 2026
At the 2026 National Day Rally, the Government announced that it will reimburse employers for the full GPML duration for parents of Singapore citizen children, up to the reimbursement limit. MOM's maternity leave page states that the implementation date and eligibility criteria have not yet been released, so the current split still applies until MOM confirms the change. Check MOM's pages before you budget for an employee's leave.
Official sources
Rules and rates change. Check the official source before you act on them.
Frequently asked questions
Eligible mothers get 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave if their child is a Singapore citizen and they have served their employer for at least three continuous months. Mothers who do not qualify for GPML but are covered by the Employment Act get 12 weeks, of which 8 may be paid.
The employer pays the mother. For a first or second child, the employer funds the first 8 weeks and the Government reimburses the last 8, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks. For a third or later child, the Government reimburses all 16 weeks, up to $40,000 per child.
No. GPML requires the child to be a Singapore citizen. An employee whose child is not a citizen may still get 12 weeks of maternity leave under the Employment Act, provided she is covered by the Act and has served at least three continuous months before the birth.
Related terms
Part of the springhire HR glossary.
