Nine businesses in Singapore double paid paternity leave from 2022

From next year onwards, nine companies in Singapore will be doubling paid paternity leave for their workers. 

The nine companies are member companies of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Singapore, and include pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, clothing retailer H&M, automation firm ABB, manufacturer Atlas Copco, flooring company Bolon x The Andrews Group, electrical appliance firm Electrolux, supply chain management firm Mentor Media, beauty and wellness brand Oriflame and manufacturing company SKF. 

Fathers who work in these firms will be able to enjoy four weeks of paternity leave, an increase from two weeks under current regulations.

Working fathers currently enjoy two weeks of paid paternity leave funded by the government. These companies will be topping up to cover the salaries of their workers for the remaining two weeks of extra paternity leave doled out.

The nine companies announced the move as part of a pledge to double paid paternity leave benefits in Singapore. 

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The pledge also recognises that fathers also have an important role to play during the early months of their child’s life. “Parental leave for both mothers and fathers is one of the levers to building a more equal society,” it states.