Maternity Leave Question - Employer Payments

lilyesp on 12/04/2025 - 07:58
Last edited 12/04/2025 - 10:04 by 1 other user

Hi all, my friend is planning on getting pregnant and she works for a private non for profit company.

I've been helping her with sorting out maternity leave questions. She is also planning to change jobs in the next few months but thinking of getting pregnant and delivery late next year in 2026.

She's in Victoria, from what I can see on the social services website changing jobs should not affect eligibility for maternity leave. As long as you are employed for the past 12 months doesn't have to be from one employer only.

However, what I seem to can't find is that I hear some companies pay maternity leave. Is it in extra to what the government pays? Or is that wrong and they mean that government pays the employer and they pay the employee?

Confused looked at their work contract and only states they're eligible for maternity leave.

Thanks if anyone can share their experiences (Victoria question)😊

Tldr maternity leave in Victoria: do employers do additional payments.

• 

  rawm on 12/04/2025 - 08:17

  +2

  Yep - Govt Paid Parental Leave (PPL) is separate from any employer-paid mat leave. You can get both if your employer offers paid leave. It's not one or the other.

  Gov PPL = 20 weeks at min wage (around $882 a week before tax). It's funded by Centrelink and usually paid through your employer but the money comes from the govt.

  To qualify you need to have worked at least 10 of the last 13 months before the birth, with at least 330 hours total and no more than 12 weeks gap between jobs. Doesn't need to be with the same employer.

  Some NFPs offer their own paid mat leave on top. Could be 6 to 14 weeks full pay etc but it's optional. If her contract only says "eligible for maternity leave" with no mention of paid time, then it's probably unpaid leave. Worth checking with HR or seeing if there's an enterprise agreement.

  Changing jobs is fine if she meets the work test before birth.

  TLDR:
  Centrelink pays 20 weeks at min wage
  Employer might also pay extra if they offer it
  Changing jobs is okay if she meets the work test

  Hope that helps.

  • 

    OMGJL on 12/04/2025 - 22:07

    worked at least 10 of the last 13 months before the birth

    so basically not cool for any non-office jobs, how the hell do one work with a big belly 3 months before birth, if the job isn't in office sitting down…

  • 

    lilyesp on 13/04/2025 - 18:26

    Thanks that's very useful…il let her know 😀

• 

  tenpercent on 12/04/2025 - 11:36

  +1

  looked at their work contract and only states they're eligible for maternity leave.

  Unless the contract refers to some award or employer agreement (and that in turn details paid maternity leave offered) it sounds like the employer doesn't offer their own paid maternity leave.

  Whether the new employer does offer their own paid maternity leave and how long for should probably factor into her decision where to move jobs.

  All employees are also entitled to take up to 12 months unpaid (not paid by the empoyer) parental leave and have a right to request an additional 12 months unpaid parenteal leave (which can only be refused on specific limited grounds).

  Some jobs/contracts/awards have a requirement where you have to have been working with them for a certain period say 6 months or 12 months before becoming eligible for the employer funded paid maternity leave. If she is planning on getting pregnant late 2026 (birth in mid to late 2027) and changing jobs in the next few months she should be fine for eligibility. Changing employers is not an issue for the Centrelink PPL.

  You also don't have to take the Gov PPL straight up (you can take it at any point during the first 24 months after the birth) and you can share it with your partner (actually there is a certain amount that is reserved for the birth mother's partner). Because the rate of Gov PPL is linked to minimum wage which tends to go up each FY, she may be better off to wait until the subsequent FY after the birth to claim and take the Centrelink PPL.

  Employer provided parental leave is in addition and separate to the government funded one through centrelink. The confusion might be from the fact that the Centrelink PPL can be paid to your employer who then pays you, if you so choose (or you can get it direct from Centrelink).

• 

  Gunnar on 13/04/2025 - 11:05

  Depends on the employer and their contract

  If they are looking at changing jobs tell them to apply for a government job as you generally get paid parental leave and very flexible return to work options post parental leave

  • 

    lilyesp on 13/04/2025 - 18:25

    Oh thanks..like return to work..more flexible like giving them remote work?

    Any extra perks?
    Thanks!

    • 

      Gunnar on 13/04/2025 - 20:55

      Remote work, being flexible on coming back full time, leave entitlements. Does depend on you boss but for the most part the flexibility is built in