Changes to Paid Parental Leave Scheme
Jul 03, 2023As of 1 July 2023, changes to the Paid Parental Leave scheme came into effect. Here's a breakdown of the changes and what you need to know:
The main changes:
- The previous entitlements provided 18 weeks' of paid parental leave alongside 2 weeks' of Dad and Partner pay. These two entitlements will now be combined, providing partnered couples with a total of 20 weeks' paid parental leave.
- These changes increase the Paid Parental Leave payment from 90 days (or up to 18 weeks, based on a 5-day work week), to 100 days (equal to 20 weeks).
- Importantly, parents who are single at the time of the claim will also be able to access the full 20 weeks'.
- These changes give families more flexibility in terms of managing work demands and childcare arrangements.
- Parents who are sharing their Parental Leave days with their partner or another parent can take up to 10 days, at the same time.
- Changes have been made to the income test and work requirements, ultimately changing who has access to this payment.
Importantly: These newly introduced changes encourage both parents to access the payment, rather than just the mother.
To meet the income and work requirements test, you need to have worked for both:
- 10 to 13 months before the birth or adoption of your child
- a minimum of 330 hours, around 1 day per week, within that 10-month period
Who needs to meet these requirements?
- The birth or adoptive mother (who is the first parent to claim the Parental Leave Payment) must meet the requirements indicated above.
- Any other parent must also meet the requirements along with the birth mother.
- For Parental Leave Pay, 'another parent' can include any of the following:
- the birth mother's partner
- the biological father
- the biological father's partner
- If your partner adopted the child and you’re not included on the adoption documents, both you and your partner must meet the work test.
NOTE: There are some exceptions to these work and income requirements, including family and domestic violence, serious medical conditions, and the instance of a natural disaster as declared by the Commonwealth or relevant State or Territory.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the Employii team at [email protected]
For more information about Paid Parental Leave and eligibility requirements, head to Services Australia.
Author: Chelsea Finlay (HR Officer).
