Parental leave is a period that allows new parents to take time off work to look after a new child. Under the Federal Government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme, this is paid at the national minimum wage and is paid to employees during a standard pay cycle.
The Paid Parental Leave scheme provides two payments – Parental Leave Pay and Partner Pay. The former is for the primary career whilst the latter is for partners and fathers.
Paid Parental Leave cannot be provided in one lump sum payment, and nor can you take it at half pay. Parental leave is gender neutral and any primary carer giving birth to or adopting a child is eligible.
Employees must have worked for at least 10 of the 13 months before birth or adoption of their child, for a total of at least at least 330 hours.
Employers are not permitted to decrease your rate of pay or change your role within the company because you are on parental leave or for reasons including that reason.