Self-employed parents

You may still meet the work test for Parental Leave Pay if you’re self-employed.

If you’re working for financial reward or gain, you can count your hours of work in the work test. You can do this even if the business doesn’t run at a profit.

This includes all of the following:

  • providing goods and services for hire or reward
  • carrying on a business, including as a partnership or enterprise
  • working for a trust operating as a business.

If you get Parental Leave Pay and you’re self-employed, we’ll make the payments to you.

Page last updated: 1 April 2026.
QC 64487