2024年9月9日，新加坡總理公署部長兼財政部第二部長英蘭妮在國會書面答覆丹戎巴葛集選區議員祖安清心關於提高育兒假規定的年齡上限問題。
以下內容為新加坡眼根據國會英文資料翻譯整理：
祖安清心（丹戎巴葛集選區議員）女士詢問總理和財政部長：考慮到小學更廣泛地採用在家學習的做法，總理公署是否會考慮將育兒假規定的年齡上限提高到孩子12歲。
英蘭妮（總理公署部長，代表總理）女士：如今，每一位在職父母在其最小的新加坡子女未滿7歲時，每年可享有6天帶薪育兒假。此外，當最年幼的子女年齡在7歲至12歲之間時，每位在職父母每年還可享受2天帶薪延長育兒假。
這些育兒假規定是在年假權利之外的，之所以這樣設計，是因為年齡較大的孩子通常比年齡較小的孩子更加獨立。因此，子女年齡較小的父母可獲得更多的育兒假。目前還沒有計劃提高育兒假的年齡上限。
小學無須定期進行居家學習 (HBL)。學校可因應需要，以及為緊急情況做好準備，每年有幾天內開展居家學習，以防在緊急情況下需要轉向居家學習。學校會提前通知家長，以便他們在需要時做出其他託管安排。學生託管中心也會照常開放。
在考慮進一步改善休假規定時，包括增加有大孩子的父母的育兒假，我們需要在支持父母的需求和對僱主人力和運營要求的影響之間取得平衡。
因此，除了法定的休假規定外，我們還鼓勵僱主在工作場所推行其他可持續的家庭友善措施，例如靈活工作制 (FWA)。《勞資政三方靈活工作安排要求指導原則》（Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests）將於2024 年12月1日生效。該強制性指導原則將使僱主和雇員能夠進行公開討論，並制定出符合雙方需求和限制的安排。我們鼓勵在職父母需要利用這些措施來照顧孩子時，得到主管和同事給予支持。
以下是英文質詢內容：
Ms Joan Pereira asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Ministry will consider raising the age ceiling for childcare leave provisions until the child is 12 years of age, considering the wider adoption of home-based learning in primary schools.
Ms Indranee Rajah (for the Prime Minister): Today, each working parent is entitled to six days of paid childcare leave per year, when their youngest Singaporean child is below seven years old. In addition, each working parent will be entitled to two days of paid Extended Childcare Leave per year when the youngest child is aged between seven and 12.
These childcare leave provisions are on top of annual leave entitlements and are designed as such because older children are generally more independent compared to younger children. Hence, parents with younger children are granted more childcare leave provisions. There are no plans at present to raise the age ceiling for childcare leave.
Primary schools are not required to conduct Home-Based Learning (HBL) on a regular basis. They may conduct HBL on a few days each year based on the schools』 needs and as part of emergency preparedness in case they need to shift to HBL in contingency situations. Schools will inform parents in advance so they can make alternative care arrangements if needed. Student care centres also remain open as per other school days.
In considering any further enhancement to leave provisions, including increasing childcare leave for parents with older children, we will need to strike a balance between supporting the needs of parents and the impact on employers』 manpower and operational requirements.
Therefore, beyond legislated leave provisions, we encourage employers to put in place other sustainable family-friendly workplace practices, such as flexible work arrangements (FWAs). The Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests will take effect from 1 December 2024. The mandatory Guidelines will enable employers and employees to have open discussions and work out arrangements that can meet both parties』 needs and constraints. We encourage supervisors and colleagues to be supportive when working parents need to tap on these measures to care for their children.
HQ丨編輯
HQ丨編審
新加坡國會丨來源
