Can parents enjoy extra leave without irritating their employers?

Perhaps tax breaks for employers, and a pool of temporary hires who can cover for parents on leave, will move the needle.

- Darius Lee

“In that case, employers might just stop hiring people who want to have children.”

In the days and weeks following the National Day Rally, I heard numerous murmurs to this effect, in the light of announcements that the four-week paternity leave would be made mandatory, along with another ten additional weeks of shared parental leave.

These remarks were well-intentioned, coming from people expressing concern about whether discrimination against pregnant women and new parents might increase after the changes to parental leave.

Such discrimination involves being treated less favourably on account of pregnancy, parenthood or childcare responsibilities. It may take many forms, including unkind remarks, pressures to forgo certain entitlements like parental leave, being overlooked in bonuses and promotions, and even termination in extreme cases.

In a country with one of the most intense work cultures in the world and struggling with a record-low fertility rate of 0.97 in 2023, the acute tension between parenthood and work puts significant pressure on working parents in Singapore. A 2023 survey by jobs platform Indeed found that nearly one-third (32 per cent) of working parents here felt they had been discriminated against at some point in their career for having a child.

Could discrimination against parents increase here, in the light of the adjustments to parental leave?

HIDDEN COSTS

Parental leave imposes various hidden costs on employers, even when the leave is fully paid for by the Government. Employers have to address work interruptions when employees go on parental leave. There are challenges when seeking a replacement for the absent worker, whether by hiring a temporary worker or paying more to existing workers to cover the work. Some workers might not be so easily replaceable, such as those in specialised roles or higher management.