Modernising Parental Leave
The Employment Standards Legislation Bill which came into effect on 1 April 2016 brings some changes to Parental Leave, including:
- Parental leave payment period extended to 18 weeks
- Parental leave payment extended to non-standard workers and those who have recently changed jobs
- Entitlements extended to a wider range of permanent arrangement carers with primary responsibility of a child under 6 years
- Unpaid leave can be taken flexibly within the first year
- Introducing “Keeping in Touch” hours of work – for example to do training, hand overs and ease back into work
- Extending unpaid leave to workers who have been with their employer for more than six months but less than 12
- Allowing workers to resign and still receive payments
- Increasing penalties for fraud
- Providing additional parental leave payments for parents of preterm babies
Some of the above requires certain eligibility criteria be met and some are by mutual agreement with the Employer, so it pays to communicate your plans. To read more about the changes and to find out the details about leave entitlements and criteria visit one of these sites:
