Singapore's public service to implement enhanced paternity leave scheme

SINGAPORE'S public service, with a workforce of more than 140,000, will take the lead in implementing the enhanced paternity leave scheme announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally on Sunday.

In a release issued on Tuesday, the Public Service Division at the Prime Minister's Office said it supported national efforts to strengthen the family-friendly environment in Singapore. It also recognised the father's role in caring for and raising children.

Male public officers will now be eligible for a total of two weeks of paternity leave, instead of one week, if they have a Singapore citizen child born on or after Jan 1, 2015. The paternity leave can be taken within 12 months from the birth of the child.