Mandating Caregiving Leave for Private Sector Companies

14 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Government will consider introducing mandatory caregiving leave for private sector companies.

The Minister of State for Manpower (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Manpower): Mr Deputy Speaker, the Government works closely with our tripartite partners to provide a wide range of support for caregivers who manage both caregiving and work responsibilities.

All employers are required by law to provide paid maternity and paternity leave, as well as childcare and unpaid infant care leave to support the caregiving needs of employees with children. In addition, some employers have voluntarily provided other types of paid leave, such as parental care leave and family care leave, to support employees with other caregiving needs, such as caring for elderly or disabled family members. The tripartite partners also actively encourage employers to adopt best practices, such as providing enhanced leave benefits through the Tripartite Standards on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs and Tripartite Standards on Work-Life Harmony.

We recognise that caregiving needs are diverse. The range of caregiving responsibilities and methods of caregiving continue to vary and evolve. We will study and continue to review how to better support working caregivers, bringing alongside with us the private sector companies and working closely with our tripartite partners. A more sustainable and flexible form of workplace support is flexible work arrangements, which allow caregivers to vary their work timing, location and workload to suit their personal circumstances.

The tripartite partners will continue to encourage and equip employers to provide flexible work arrangements to support employees in managing both their work and caregiving responsibilities. The Government will also continue to review and strengthen other support for working caregivers. This includes enhancing the caregiving support infrastructure, financial support and fostering a more family-friendly culture.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Just a short supplementary question, please, Mr Leon Perera.

Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I would like to ask one short supplementary question. I am wondering if the Government will consider requiring or mandating private companies to provide an elderly or parent care leave to some extent, or flexible work arrangements that will allow for time for eldercare and parent care duties? This is an increasing problem. There is a lot of feedback from constituents, from people and as our population ages, it is going to get worse. The Civil Service provides this already. The take-up is very good. Only 20% of private companies provide this as a requirement. It may be tough for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to provide this, but maybe for the larger companies. Will the Government consider mandating this?

Ms Gan Siow Huang: We recognise that caregiving needs are varied and have taken a practical approach in calibrating the statutory leave provisions. Importantly, we want to strike good balance between employees' caregiving needs and employers' business costs and manpower needs.

As explained earlier, flexible work arrangements are also a very useful way to help working caregivers to manage both work and caregiving needs.

2.00 pm

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Order of the day and Notices of Motion.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix, unless Members had asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn.]