Provision of Childcare Sick Leave to Civil Servants

59 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Prime Minister what is the rationale of (i) providing civil servants with childcare sick leave beyond the legislated childcare leave and (ii) providing this on a per child basis instead of a fixed number regardless of the number of children the parent has.

Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): The Civil Service’s childcare sick leave provisions have been in place since 1987, well before when childcare leave was legislated in 2004. It was introduced in support of the Government’s population policy at the time to encourage larger families. In line with this intent, a parent’s childcare sick leave eligibility increases with each child, up to three children.