Priority Improvements to Parental Leave
Contents
- What does the current parental leave scheme look like?
- Recommendations
What does the current parental leave scheme look like?
The eligibility criteria for both the paid and unpaid parental leave require that to qualify for the job protection that accompanies leave, an employee should have demonstrated workplace attachment with their employer. This helps to strike a balance between an employee’s interest in job-protected leave and an employer’s interest in maintaining staff.
The following entitlements are available to eligible employee and self-employed parents under the scheme:
14 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave (PPL)
To be eligible, employees must have worked continuously with the same employer for an average of at least 10 hours a week (including at least one hour in every week or 40 hours in every month) in the six or 12 months immediately before the baby’s expected due date or the date the employee has assumed the care of a child they intend to adopt.
For self-employed parents to be eligible, a birth mother/adoptive parent has to have worked an average of at least 10 hours a week over the six or 12 months immediately before the expected date of delivery or adoption of a child.
Eligibility for PPL is primarily determined through the mother. However, if their spouse/partner (including same sex couples) meets the eligibility criteria the mother can transfer part or all of the paid leave to them. In the case of joint adoption, the spouse/partner can be nominated as the primary caregiver.
Employees are currently entitled to receive either their gross weekly rate of pay or $391.28 per week (before tax), whichever is lower. Self-employed persons are entitled to receive either their average weekly earnings or $391.28 per week (before tax), whichever is lower; or $112.50 per week (before tax) if their average weekly earnings are less than the equivalent of 10 hours pay at the highest rate of minimum wage or if they made a loss.
52 Weeks of Unpaid Leave
Employees who have worked continuously with the same employer for 12 months or more are entitled to this unpaid leave, less any PPL taken. Unpaid leave must be taken continuously and can be shared between parents where they are both eligible. Parents can take the unpaid leave at the same time or one after the other.
1-2 Weeks of Partners/Paternity Leave
Unpaid leave of one week is available to spouse/partners with six months eligible employment and two weeks of unpaid leave is available to spouse/partners with 12 months eligible employment.
10 Days of Special Leave
Special leave is available to an expecting mother before her parental leave begins for reasons connected with pregnancy, such as antenatal checks or visits to the midwife.
Further information on parental leave is available from the Department of Labour at www.ers.dol.govt.nz/parentalleave/ or telephone 0800 20 90 20 during business hours.
