Filing of Complaints with Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices for Denial of Access to Childcare Leave

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower under what circumstances can an employee file a case with the Ministry or the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) for being denied access to childcare leave.

Childcare leave is a statutory entitlement. While childcare leave requests are subject to employers’ approval, employers should grant them unless they have good reasons for not doing so.

Any employee who thinks that he or she has been unreasonably denied childcare leave should report the employer to MOM. Over the last five years, MOM has not received any case where an employee had applied for childcare leave and the employer had unreasonably rejected the application. If a report is filed, MOM will look at the specific circumstances of each case and determine if childcare leave has been unreasonably withheld.