Exceptions for dangerous jobs or workplace hazards

You may meet the dangerous jobs provision if all of the following apply:

• you’re pregnant or the birth mother of a newborn child
• you had to stop work because a workplace hazard was a risk to your pregnancy
• you won’t meet the work requirements in the 13 month work test period ending the day before your child’s birth.

If you meet the dangerous jobs provision, we’ll move your work test period. It will no longer be the 13 month period ending the day before your child’s birth. Instead, your 13 month work test period will end the day you stopped work.

You’ll still need to meet the work test in this earlier period to be eligible for Parental Leave Pay.

You must give us proof of your work circumstances and that you stopped work because of the risk to your pregnancy.

Proof of work

You’ll need to give us proof confirming all of the following:

• the job you were doing before your child was born
• the date you stopped working
• what the workplace hazards were
• why the hazards stopped you from continuing work
• the hazards were part of the work you were doing before your child’s birth.

The proof may include any of these:

• a letter from your employer
• a copy of your contract or workplace agreement
• a statutory declaration of your job description, if you’re self-employed.

Proof of the risk to your pregnancy

You’ll also need to give us proof that you stopped work because workplace hazards were a risk to your pregnancy. This may include any of these:

• a medical certificate
• a letter from your employer, if they are a medical professional
• a copy of your industry regulations or guidelines that confirm you were unable to continue working due to your pregnancy.

Proof if you’re self-employed

If you’re self-employed, you need to prove your ability to work reduced during the work test period. This may include any of the following:

• a copy of your contract, industry regulations or guidelines
• a statutory declaration.

If you give us a statutory declaration, it needs to state all of the following:

• the type of work you did
• your job description
• the date you stopped working
• what the workplace hazards were
• why the hazards stopped you from continuing work.

How to give us proof for an exception

When you claim Parental Leave Pay, you’ll be asked to give us any supporting evidence needed to prove your circumstances. The documents you need to give us depend on what you tell us when you claim.

Find out more about how to claim Parental Leave Pay.