What is paid parental leave?

The Australian Government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme is an initiative in which the government will  pay a new parent (the primary caregiver), minimum wage (currently $622.10 per week) for a period of 18 weeks when they have their child. The Parental Leave income is fully taxable.  The primary caregiver must not work during the 18 weeks of leave as they are paid to be home to care for their new child.

To qualify for the scheme, the new parent must meet a work test and income test.   The work test will need to prove that the new parent has worked for at least 10 of the last 13 months, or at least 330 hours in the 10 month period prior to their leave. The income test states that the primary caregiver must have an adjusted taxable income of $150,000 or less in the financial year prior to the date of claim.

Dad and Partner Pay

Dad and Partner is paid to the secondary  caregiver of the new child. The Australian Government will pay the secondary caregiver  two weeks of minimum wage (currently $622.10 per week) to assist the new parent in caring for their partner and new child in their initial two weeks in settling in.

To qualify for Dad and Partner Pay, the secondary caregiver must be the biological father of the child, the partner of the birth mother or the partner of an adoptive parent.

Claims can be lodged up to three months in advance with Centrelink.  Lodgement can be done online.

To qualify for the scheme, the new parent must meet a work test and income test.   The work test will need to prove that the new parent has worked for at least 10 of the last 13 months, or at least 330 hours in the 10 month period prior to their leave. The income test states that the secondary caregiver must have an adjusted taxable income of $150,000 or less in the financial year prior to the date of claim.

For more information and information on how to claim Parental Leave pay go to the Human Services website https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/parental-leave-pay