Australia’s first national Paid Parental Leave scheme commenced on 1 January 2011. The scheme is funded by the Australian Government.

Parents who are planning to have or adopt a child need to be aware of the scheme and consider how decisions they make about the work they do before the birth or adoption could affect their eligibility for the scheme.

Claims can be submitted up to three months before the expected date of birth or adoption. Parents are encouraged to claim before their child arrives so their payments can start on time.

The Paid Parental Leave scheme aims to help Australian families balance work and family commitments and help employers retain the valuable skills and experience of their staff. It will help employers enhance the family friendly workplace conditions many already offer. Parental Leave Pay can be taken in addition to existing employer-funded schemes, at either the same time or consecutively.

Family Assistance Office | Paid Parental Leave Scheme website

See Best Practice Guide Parental Leave

See Paid Parental Leave: A New Entitlement for Working Parents Brochure

See Claiming Parental Leave Pay or Baby Bonus Factsheet

In addition to the website and linkage guidelines a YouTube Clip has been developed to communicate and share the information via a viral platform. This information can be viewed here.