Family Friendly Policy in Different Countries

SINGAPORE | UK | AUSTRALIA (QUEENSLAND GOV'T)

Tripartite Guidelines on Family Friendly Workplace Practices

A set of guidelines on Family Friendly Workplace Practices is issued by the National Tripartite Advisory Panel to develop family friendly workplaces in August 2004, which covered three main groups of work-life programmes: Family Care Leave, Flexible Work Arrangements and Employee Support Schemes.

Family Care Leave (FCL)

	Broadly cover marriage leave, paternity leave, eldercare leave, compassionate/bereavement leave
	FCL can be paid or unpaid, depending on the individual employer's benefit policy

Flexible Work Arrangements:

	Flexi-time --- Employers generally stipulate a standard number of work hours per day, including core hours, in which all employees must be present
	Compressed work Schedules --- work longer hours per workday over fewer days
	Part-time --- fewer than 30 hours
	Telecommuting --- carry out (all or pat of) their work either in the employee's home, satellite offices or neighbourhood work centres

Employee Support Schemes (ESS)

	The purpose of ESS refers to educational and financial assistance initiatives provided by the employer that can help employees effectively manage work and family responsibilities.
	ESS includes subsidies for dependents of employees, scholarships or educational assistance for employees and their dependents, health and wellness programmes, family life education, child care etc.

Work-Life Works! (WoW!) Fund

The Government has introduced the WoW! Fund to facilitate the development and implementation of Work life strategy at the workplace, particularly the flexible work arrangements. It covers:

	Training of HR managers and line supervisors on how to implement Work-Life Strategies
	On a case-by-case basis, one-time infrastructural costs in implementing flexible work arrangements (e.g. network systems to facilitate flexible work arrangements) and selected employee support schemes that contribute towards care of dependants (e.g. lactation rooms)
	The service of a qualified work-life consultant for work-life consultancy.
	Payroll of staff driving Work-Life Strategy in the organization.
	The grant is up to $30,000 Singapore dollar (Approx. $144, 000 Hong Kong dollar)

Baby Bonus Scheme

	First introduced in April 2001 and enhanced after 1 August 2004
	Parent will get a cash gift of $3,000 for the 1st child, and a cash gift and co-savings of up to $9,000 for the 2nd child and up to $18,000 each for the 3rd and 4th child.

Other forms of leave in taking care of family

Maternity Leave:

	Extended from 8 to 12 weeks from 1 October 2004
	The additional 4 weeks will be funded by the Government for the first 2 confinements, while for the third and fourth confinements, the Government will fund the full 12 weeks of salary
	The extended 4 weeks may be taken flexibly within 6 months of the birth, options such as taking the leave in blocks or as part-time could be explored

Childcare Leave:

With legislative changes effected in October 2004, the Employment Act provide 2 days childcare leave per employee per year up to the child's 7th birthday, regardless of the number of children.

Adoption Leave:

	4 weeks of flexible leave to care for adopted newborn children aged 6 months and below
	Self-employed mothers are also eligible
	Government will reimburse employers up to 4 weeks of salary

Family Matter - a report of the Public Education Committee on Family (PEC) (2002)

It commented the current awareness level for family-friendly environment is low in Singapore. In responding to creating a family-friendly environment, the PEC recommended: