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This payment helps employees take time off work to care for a newborn or recently adopted child. How much they get, the number of days they have, and how they can use their days depends on when their child was born or entered their care.
Your employee may talk to you about this when they’re expecting a baby or adopting a child. Some topics to discuss with your employee are:
- what leave is available and how they can take it at the same time as Parental Leave Pay
- when they would like to start their leave
- what superannuation contributions they’ll get
- when they expect to return to work
- how they’d like to manage their return to work.
You may also need to tell your employee information about your business to help them claim their leave.
Who can get it
Any parent can claim Parental Leave Pay with approval from either:
- the birth mother
- the first adoptive parent
- first gaining parent in a surrogacy arrangement.
If your employee needs help to see if they are eligible, they can find out more about who can get Parental Leave Pay.
Employees may still be eligible for Parental Leave Pay if they stopped working due to special circumstances. You can read more about exceptions to the work test for Parental Leave Pay.
How much your employee will get
The number of Parental Leave Pay days a family can get depends on when their child came into their care.
| Child’s date of birth or adoption is from | Maximum number of Parental Leave Pay days a family can get |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2023 - 30 June 2024 | 100 days, or 20 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
| 1 July 2024 - 30 June 2025 | 110 days, or 22 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
| 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026 | 120 days, or 24 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
| 1 July 2026 onwards | 130 days, or 26 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
This payment is taxable and paid at the rate of the National Minimum Wage.
From 1 July 2025, the rate of Parental Leave Pay is $948.10 per week, before tax. All employees get the same weekly payment rate of Parental Leave Pay. This is regardless of the hours they worked or their earnings before going on leave.
You’ll find the daily rate of Parental Leave Pay in your payment advice.
Paid Parental Leave Superannuation Contribution
If your employee’s child is born or adopted from 1 July 2025, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will pay them a superannuation contribution. You don’t need to calculate or pay the superannuation contribution. It will be paid directly into your employee’s superannuation fund after the relevant financial year ends, starting from July 2026.
Read more about the Paid Parental Leave Superannuation Contribution on the ATO website.
How your employee can take their days
Your employee can work before or after their periods of Parental Leave Pay. They can use this pay on days they’re not working, including weekdays, weekends, holidays or whenever they’re on leave from work. There are some exceptions if your employee works for allowable reasons on days they’re getting Parental Leave Pay.
Employees can also take Parental Leave Pay before, after, or at the same time as paid or unpaid leave.
Your employee can choose to get Parental Leave Pay in any of these ways:
- a single block
- multiple smaller blocks
- single days
- a combination of smaller blocks and single days.
These options give your employee flexibility to make their leave work for them. Employees may match their Parental Leave Pay days to the days they were working before going on leave. For example, they could take multiple smaller blocks of days if they were working part time before going on leave.
Employers will only provide Parental Leave Pay for the first single continuous block. This block can be up to 26 weeks, based on their situation.
We’ll tell you the exact dates you’ll need to provide Parental Leave Pay to your employee.
How it affects existing leave entitlements
The scheme doesn’t give your employees any new leave entitlements. However, unpaid parental leave is a part of the National Employment Standards which covers all employees. Each parent can take 12 months, or up to 24 months, if you as their employer agree. You can find out more about parental leave and related entitlements on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
This scheme doesn’t change any existing leave entitlements you offer your employee. If you currently provide paid maternity or parental leave through an industrial agreement or law, you can’t withdraw the entitlement to that leave while it’s in effect.
Employees can get Parental Leave Pay as well as any leave entitlements you provide as their employer. This means they can access both if they are entitled.
Employees may choose to use their employer provided leave entitlements while also getting Parental Leave Pay. For example, they can get Parental Leave Pay and any of the following:
- annual leave
- paid maternity leave
- unpaid parental leave.