From 1 July 2018, the number of weeks a parent can receive government-funded parental leave payments increases from 18 weeks to 22 weeks. Here's what you need to know.
Becoming a parent is stressful enough without wondering how you’ll cope financially. Parental leave helps eligible working parents or other primary carers temporarily stop working to care for their newborn baby, or for a child under six who is now in their care.
Knowing what rules apply to parental leave helps small business owners or managers prepare their resources for when their employees go on leave.
The extension of paid parental leave to 22 weeks aims to reduce financial stress on working families with newborns and young children. It will allow more time for those carers who aren’t in a position to take additional unpaid leave to bond with their children.
Remember that these changes will apply from 1 July 2018, so entitlements will be different for different staff, depending on when their leave starts.
How will it affect my business?
Employers are already required to provide a minimum of six months (26 weeks) of job-protected leave to eligible employees (if the employee has been working for them for between six and 12 months.) For employees who have worked for them for 12 months or more, the period of job-protected leave is one year.
The change doesn’t require employers to provide any additional leave. It might provide more certainty for employers, given the likelihood that more parents may take the full 26 weeks if the majority of the leave is paid. So, it could give employers greater confidence about the length of time they need to backfill the role.
Check out the full article on the business.govt website here
