Can I Claim Partner Paid Parental Leave (Gov) While on Annual Leave?

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  RogerLoger on 19/05/2025 - 17:23

  The answer is here:
  https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/paid-parental-leave

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  Some Guy on 19/05/2025 - 17:57

  +1

  My work is telling me I am only eligible for the paid parental leave while I’m on unpaid leave

  That was how it was for me in 2014. Had to be on unpaid leave to get the 2 week gov payment.

  Work provided 3 weeks of parental leave and I had to argue a lot to not have to take it immediately the child was born. It was needed more when wife's mother went home.

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  morse on 20/05/2025 - 06:17

  +2

  Partner leave as a seperate payment isn’t a thing anymore by my reading of it. The birth mother gets 18weeks at minimum wage (used to be 14) and can share this with her partner. Both need to meet the minimum work test requirements to be eligible. You’d want to consider both your taxable incomes as to how you apportion as well as which financial year it suits you most to receive it in.

  But in answer to your question, you should be able to receive both at the same time but your employer probably isn’t used to people doing this and doesn’t have payroll set up for it. I know I had a similar conversation with my employer but ended up getting both at the same time.

  Have a look at both your incomes and who’s better off receiving it for tax purposes. If your employer is happy for you to be on annual leave or unpaid leave for the amount of time you want it may be better to just have your partner receive the full 18weeks if they are the birthing mothers as chances are they will have less taxable income. Your partner might also want to receive the 18weeks next financial year if their income will be substantially less next year. Of course if you have a mortgage paying more off early might negate tax savings with interest savings - do the calculations to see what is going to work best for you.

  • 

    LJW127 on 20/05/2025 - 09:36

    Actually just double checked. For the last few years and going forward 10 days are reserved for the partner and cannot be given to the mother. So will take them myself while I’m on annual leave!

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  LJW127 on 20/05/2025 - 09:16

  Thanks for the input, I finally managed to get through to Centrelink on the phone this morning. They confirmed that I can apply for the 10 days while on annual leave regardless of what my employer states. Good point about tax implications though, didn’t think of that.