Paid Parental Leave in Australia is levelling up big time and we couldn’t be happier about it.
By Nicole Fuge, Mama Disrupt® Managing Editor
The Albanese Labor Government is actually doing what they said they’d do (I know, shocker, right?). They’re pushing through this amazing new Paid Parental Leave Amendment Bill for 2023. So, why does this matter for families like yours and mine?
Well, first off, this is not just some mini upgrade. It’s the biggest shake-up in Paid Parental Leave since it started back in 2011. They’re beefing up the scheme to 26 whole weeks by July 2026. That’s half a year!
But wait, there’s more! The Bill ensures that both parents get four weeks of leave reserved just for them. Yep, that means dads get in on the action too. So if you’re dreaming of shared late-night feedings and nappy changes, this is your golden ticket. The idea is to show that, hey, both parents matter when it comes to caring for the little ones.
And here’s another cool bit, from 2026, parents can choose to take four weeks off together. Yep, imagine that – four weeks of family bonding without juggling different leave schedules. How good is that for keeping your family life flexible?
“IT’S THE BIGGEST SHAKE-UP IN PAID PARENTAL LEAVE SINCE IT STARTED BACK IN 2011.”
When is this all happening?
Pending its passage through Parliament, two additional weeks of payment will be added each year from 1 July 2024, increasing the overall length of the Paid Parental Leave scheme by six weeks by July 2026.
The Bill increases the number of weeks reserved for each parent to four weeks in order to encourage sharing of care and household responsibilities.
The Bill also increases the number of weeks parents are able to take at the same time, increasing flexibility for families and supporting both parents to take time off work together after a birth.
How does this compare to other countries?
Canada: 17 weeks (15 weeks at 55% of salary, 2 weeks unpaid)
Denmark: 52 weeks (48 weeks at 93% of salary, 4 weeks unpaid)
France: 16 weeks (6 weeks at full pay, 10 weeks at 66% of salary)
Ireland: 26 weeks (22 weeks at 60% of salary, 4 weeks unpaid)
Japan: 52 weeks (14 weeks at full pay, 38 weeks at 67% of salary)
New Zealand: 22 weeks (18 weeks at full pay, 4 weeks unpaid)
Switzerland: 14 weeks (14 weeks at 80% of salary)
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