Working parents of stillborn babies will qualify for 168 government-paid benefits, including maternity and paternity leave, after amendments to the Child Development Co-Savings Act were passed in Parliament on Monday (Aug 2).
This applies to parents whose stillborn child would have been a Singaporean.
“Parents of stillborn children need to recover physically and emotionally, and this move can help them in this difficult journey," said Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling.
Stillborn or deceased children will also count towards the number of children a mother has had, which will determine her eligibility for benefits.
“Depending on whether they are entitled to leave or benefits schemes, including them in the child order determination will allow more employers and working mothers to receive a higher quantum of reimbursement or payment,” said Ms Sun, who is also Minister of State for Education.
“We hope that this will go some way to help mothers, and also encourage employers to be more supportive of working mothers with more children.”
This is among seven amendments to the Act.
Under the changes, parents who are retrenched and have to give up their remaining parental leave will have the benefits paid out to them.