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There’s a limit to how many Parental Leave Pay days you can take at the same time as your partner or another parent. If your child’s date of birth or adoption is:
- before 1 July 2025, you can take up to 10 days at the same time
- from 1 July 2025, you can take up to 20 days at the same time.
You may be able to take more than this together if you have an exemption.
You may get an exemption if your child both:
- developed a complication or illness during the pregnancy, at birth or immediately following the birth
- needs an extended period of medical care or treatment resulting in higher care needs.
An exemption may also apply if your child either:
- had to remain in hospital after their birth for at least 14 days
- was hospitalised immediately after their birth for at least 14 days.
If your child was part of a multiple birth, then you can choose to take more than 20 days at the same time.
If your child was stillborn or died, you can also choose to take more than 20 days at the same time.
You may also have an exemption if you or your partner are suffering from a medical condition.
An exemption may also apply if the birth mother either:
- had a caesarean
- developed a complication or medical condition at birth.
When considering exemptions we may take into account if your circumstances did any of the following:
- affected your ability to care for your child on your own
- caused significant stress
- resulted in your child having higher care needs, requiring more than one parent.
If you need to take more than 20 days at the same time
You can request an exemption as part of your claim. You can also ask us to assess an exemption after you submit your claim by calling the families line. We may ask you to provide evidence.
What evidence you may need to take more than 20 days at the same time
If we ask you to, you’ll need to provide evidence to get an exemption.
| Your circumstances | Evidence we may need |
|---|---|
| You or your partner are suffering from a medical condition | Document or letter from your doctor or other medical professional stating all of the following:
|
| Your child developed a complication or illness | Document or letter from your child’s doctor or other medical professional stating all of the following:
|
| The birth mother had a caesarean or developed a complication or medical condition at birth | Document or letter from the doctor or hospital stating the birth mother either:
|
| Your child was in hospital for at least 14 days following birth | Document or letter from the doctor or hospital stating the date your child was hospitalised and either the:
|
| Your child was stillborn or died |
|
| Your child was part of a multiple birth |
|
Contact numbers available on this page.
Centrelink families line
Use this line if you need help with family payments, such as Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy, Parental Leave Pay, Foster Child Health Care Card, Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card.
There are other ways you may want to contact us.