NTUC calls for 2 weeks of paternity leave

SINGAPORE: The labour movement has revised its position on the issue of paternity leave.

Instead of a compulsory two—day leave for fathers, it is now proposing for the government to grant two weeks of paid paternity leave.

This should be over and above the current 16 weeks of maternity leave.

The change comes after NTUC surveyed 1,000 people in September.

Ms Cham Hui Fong, NTUC’s assistant secretary—general, said: "The sense is that ideally the paternity leave... should not be part of the 16 weeks that’s currently provided for the women today. The sense is that it is already just right or not enough for the women, so let’s not touch the four months (of) maternity leave."

Ms Cham was speaking to the media as NTUC organised a mass family picnic at the Marina Barrage on Saturday.

The new recommendation will be part of a supplementary paper of pro—family measures that the NTUC will submit to the National Population and Talent Secretariat.

NTUC had sought the feedback after the National Day Rally, where Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong suggested that paternity leave can be made mandatory and that the current four months of leave was "just right".

However, 60 per cent of respondents in the NTUC survey felt strongly that the current four months of maternity leave and employer support was not enough.

They also wanted more flexi—work arrangements.

Thus, NTUC is also proposing for the right to flexible work arrangements to be legislated.

— CNA/cc