# Annual leave and sick leave in Singapore: what the Employment Act gives you

> Statutory paid annual leave by year of service, how part-years are pro-rated, the paid sick leave schedule, public holidays, and what to do about unused leave when you join or leave a job.

- Tool: [Singapore Annual Leave Entitlement Calculator](https://toolsg.com/en/annual-leave-calculator)
- Language: en (available: en, zh, ms, ta)
- Last verified against official sources: 2026-10-20
- Source site: ToolSG — a planning guide, not official or financial advice. Cite the agencies listed under Sources.

## Key figures at a glance

| Fact | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual leave, year 1 | 7 days — Then +1 day for each further year of service. | [MOM](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/annual-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement) |
| Maximum statutory annual leave | 14 days — Reached from the 8th year of service. | [MOM](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/annual-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement) |
| Service needed to take annual leave | 3 months — Leave is pro-rated by completed months in a part-year. | [MOM](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/annual-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement) |
| Paid outpatient sick leave | 14 days a year — 5 days after 3 months' service, 8 after 4, 11 after 5, 14 from 6 months. | [MOM](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/sick-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement) |
| Paid hospitalisation leave | 60 days a year — Includes the 14 outpatient days. 15 / 30 / 45 days after 3 / 4 / 5 months. | [MOM](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/sick-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement) |
| Who is covered | Employees under the Employment Act — Includes part-timers (pro-rated); excludes public servants, domestic workers and seafarers. | [MOM](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave) |

## Using and settling annual leave: step by step

These steps cover a normal year and the two moments that cause the most disputes: starting and leaving a job.

1. **Check your contract** (When you join) — Your contract may give more than the statutory minimum but never less. Note how the leave year is counted (calendar year or anniversary) and the rules on carry-forward.
2. **Work out your entitlement** (At the start of each leave year) — Use the table: 7 days in year 1, rising by one a year to 14. In a part-year, take completed months ÷ 12 × the full entitlement, rounded to the nearest day.
3. **Apply for leave** (Before taking it) — Follow your company's process. Your employer decides when leave is taken, within what your contract allows.
4. **Use sick leave properly** (When ill) — Inform your employer, and get a medical certificate (MC) from a doctor or dentist. Paid sick leave needs an MC and is separate from annual leave.
5. **Settle unused leave** (When you leave) — Unused leave is normally taken before your last day or paid out pro rata; check your contract and MOM's guidance, especially if you are dismissed.

## Annual leave by year of service

The Employment Act sets a floor. After **3 months' service** you qualify, and the days you get grow with each year:

| Year of service | Paid annual leave |
| --- | --- |
| 1 | 7 days |
| 2 | 8 days |
| 3 | 9 days |
| 4 | 10 days |
| 5 | 11 days |
| 6 | 12 days |
| 7 | 13 days |
| 8 and after | 14 days |

Your contract can give more. It cannot give less.

## Part-years and pro-rating

If you have not completed a full year of service, your leave is **completed months ÷ 12 × the full entitlement**, rounded to the nearest day. MOM's worked example: 6 completed months in year 1 gives 6/12 × 7 = 3.5, rounded to **4 days**.

The same rule applies in your last year of service when you leave mid-year.

## Sick leave

Paid sick leave starts after 3 months and builds up quickly:

| Months of service | Paid outpatient sick leave | Paid hospitalisation leave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 | 5 days | 15 days |
| 4 | 8 days | 30 days |
| 5 | 11 days | 45 days |
| 6 and after | 14 days | 60 days |

Hospitalisation leave of 60 days **includes** the 14 outpatient days. You need a medical certificate from a doctor or dentist, and sick leave is separate from annual leave.

> **Tip:** The calculator follows this table: enter your completed months (or your start and as-of dates) and it shows the outpatient and hospitalisation days for that month, from 5 / 15 at 3 months to 14 / 60 from 6 months. Under 3 months, sick leave is unpaid under the Act. You must be covered by the Employment Act and inform your employer within 48 hours; MOM's sick-leave page gives the conditions.

## Public holidays and rest days

Public holidays are not counted as annual leave. A public holiday that falls on a weekday you work is a paid day off; if you are asked to work, you get an extra day's pay or a day off in lieu. See the [public holidays calendar](https://toolsg.com/en/public-holidays).

## Part-time and other employees

- **Part-timers** (under 35 hours a week) get leave pro-rated by hours worked, in hours: your weekly hours ÷ a similar full-timer's weekly hours × their leave days × their hours a day. For example, 20 hours against 44 hours, 7 days and 8 hours a day is about 25.5 hours.
- **Not covered** by the Employment Act's leave rules: public servants, domestic workers and seafarers. Contracts and other schemes apply to them.
- **Managers and executives** are covered for annual leave, though some other protections differ.

## Common mistakes

- **Counting calendar months by the date you joined** instead of completed months.
- **Treating public holidays as leave days.**
- **Assuming the contract overrides the minimum.** It can only add to it.
- **Forgetting sick leave needs a medical certificate.**

## Related tools

- [Notice period calculator](https://toolsg.com/en/notice-period-calculator) — your last day and notice you must give or receive.
- [Overtime pay calculator](https://toolsg.com/en/overtime-pay-calculator) — extra pay for extra hours.
- [MOM working hours checker](https://toolsg.com/en/mom-working-hours-checker) — whether your hours are within the legal limits.
- [Public holidays](https://toolsg.com/en/public-holidays) — dates for the year.

## Frequently asked questions

**How is annual leave calculated for part-time employees in Singapore?**

Part-time employees who have served 3 months get leave in proportion to a similar full-time employee: your hours per week ÷ their hours per week × their days of leave × their hours per day. The result is in hours. MOM’s example: 20 hours a week against 44 hours, 7 days of leave and 8 hours a day gives about 25.5 hours.

**Do part-time workers get annual leave in Singapore?**

Yes. Part-time employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to paid annual leave after 3 months of service, pro-rated by their working hours. Taking leave on a working day deducts the hours you would have worked that day.

**How many days of annual leave do I get in Singapore?**

At least 7 days in the first year of service if you are covered by the Employment Act and have worked three months, rising to 14 days from the eighth year. Contracts may give more.

**How is annual leave prorated?**

Completed months ÷ 12 × that year’s entitlement, rounded to the nearest day. Six months of year 1 is 4 days.

**When can I take annual leave?**

After three months of service, including probation, unless the contract is more generous.

**What paid sick leave am I entitled to?**

From three months of service: 5 days outpatient and 15 days hospitalisation, rising to 8 / 30 at four months, 11 / 45 at five months and 14 / 60 from six months (hospitalisation includes the outpatient days).

**Do managers get statutory annual leave?**

The Act generally covers employees including many PMs and executives. Confirm any exclusion with MOM or your contract.

**Is unused leave paid out when I resign?**

Usually unused earned leave is paid, using the contract or the Act. This page does not compute the dollar amount.

**Are public holidays part of annual leave?**

No. Gazetted public holidays are a separate entitlement.

**Is this MOM advice?**

No. Confirm on MOM’s annual-leave eligibility page. This is not legal advice.


## Sources

- [MOM — Annual leave: eligibility and entitlement](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/annual-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement)
- [MOM — Sick leave: eligibility and entitlement](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/sick-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement)
- [MOM — Leave](https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave)