1. Employees’ Guide to Parental Leave
Human Resources
The information outlined in this presentation is intended to be a brief overview only. For further details, you should consult the relevant Enterprise Agreement, and visit the leave provisions page on the HR website.

2. What can I apply for? Parental Leave
Paid Maternity Leave (6 or 12 weeks)
Primary Care Giver Leave (14 weeks)
Paid Partner leave (10 days)
Other Leave (eg. recreation, long service)
Unpaid Parental Leave (up to 52 weeks)
Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme
A number of leave types are available to staff to support you at the time of the birth or adoption of a child. This includes:
Paid maternity leave - this is usually only available to the birth mother or the person taking on the role of primary care giver from the outset in the case of adoption.
Paid primary care giver – this may continue to be the birth mother or primary care giver in the case of adoption, or may be the partner. Staff may choose to access this paid leave in a number of ways and which is outlined in greater detail in the next slide.
Paid partner leave - if you are not the primary care giver of a child and you become a parent, you may be eligible for 10 days paid partner leave.
Unpaid parental leave – staff who do not meet the eligibility requirements for paid parental leave, may apply for up to 52 weeks of leave, accessing recreation leave if available and/or unpaid leave. This is conditional on your return to work to the University.
Access to other types of leave including flex, recreation and long service leave which may be taken during the 52 week period or in addition to the 52 week period.
Further information on eligibility for paid leave is on the next slide.
 You should discuss proposed leave plans with your supervisor as early as possible so that full consideration can be given to operational requirements.
The Government paid parental leave scheme is separate from the University’s leave. You should enquire about your eligibility and apply for the Government scheme directly with the Family Assistance Office. 

3. What are my Responsibilities?
Inform your supervisor as soon as possible
Check your eligibility for paid and unpaid leave
Provide relevant documentation
Medical Certificate
Statutory declaration
Other relevant documentation
Keeping in touch
Return to work requirements
Prior continuous service with the University
Paid parental leave entitlement
Unpaid parental leave entitlement
Total
12 months or more
26 weeks (14 weeks parental leave and 12 weeks primary carers leave)
26 weeks
52 weeks
10 days paid partner leave (provided on a pro rata basis for part-time staff) -
10 days
9 months to 12 months
6 weeks parental leave
46 weeks
Less than 9 months
Nil
NOTICE:
Staff are expected to inform their supervisor as early as possible so that plans can be made for your absence with minimal disruption to the operations of the work unit. As a minimum, you will be required to provide 10 weeks notice of your intention to take parental leave and a minimum of 4 weeks notice of the actual dates you wish to take. You will most likely have a discussion with you supervisor, however please note that your notice will also need to be provided in writing.
ELIGIBILITY:
To be eligible for paid parental leave, you must have served continuously in an appointment at the University for a least 9 months. This excludes casual staff.
Staff who have 12 months or more prior, continuous service at the University are eligible for up to 26 weeks paid leave. This is made up of 14 weeks parental leave and 12 weeks primary carer’s leave. In addition, staff are eligible for an additional 26 weeks of unpaid leave.
Staff who have between 9 and 12 months prior, continuous service at the University are eligible for up to 6 weeks paid parental leave. In addition, staff are eligible for an additional 46 weeks unpaid leave.
Casual staff and staff with less than 9 months prior continuous service, are eligible for up to 52 weeks unpaid parental leave.
APPLYING FOR LEAVE:
You will need to arrange relevant documentation to support your application for parental leave.
For the birth mother, a medical certificate confirming your pregnancy and the expected date of confinement will be required. In the case of adoption, you will need to provide relevant documentation that confirms your status as an adopting parent and the date at which the parenting responsibilities will commence.
For the non-birth partner taking on the role of primary care giver, you will need a medical certificate confirming your partner is pregnant and the expected date of birth. In addition, a statutory declaration stating that you will be taking on the role of primary care giver, the circumstance under which this is occurring, as well as the duration of your partners paid leave, if any. A parent taking on the role of primary care giver in the case of adoption, will require a statutory declaration with the same statements.
KEEPING IN TOUCH:
Staff and managers are expected to keep in touch throughout a staff members parental leave. More information is available later in this presentation.
RETURN TO WORK:
A staff member would normally be required to return to work for at least the equivalent period of the paid portion of their leave. The University will not seek reimbursement of pay for staff who do not meet this requirement. A toolkit is available for staff returning from long periods of leave

4. Applying for leave - what are my options?
Normally, staff will opt for one of the following:
Paid parental leave at 100% of normal salary (totaling up to 26 weeks)
Paid parental leave at 50% of normal salary (totaling up to 52 weeks)
Other options are also available, which require prior approval from your Head of Element:
14 weeks parental leave paid at 100%, followed by the use of other leave as required and then the remainder of the paid parental leave utlilised on a return to work plan enabling you to return to work part time, but receiving full salary.
21 weeks parental leave paid at 100% , 6 weeks of other leave and then the remainder of the paid parental leave being used to enable an 80% part-time return to work plan, but receiving full salary for the following 25 weeks.
Paid parental leave may be accessed in a number of ways for staff taking their full paid entitlement.
- Staff who are eligible for 6 weeks paid leave may opt to take it paid over 6 weeks at 100% of normal salary, or may opt to take 12 weeks, paid at 50% of your normal salary.
- Similarly, staff who are eligible for 26 weeks paid leave may opt to take leave over 26 weeks paid at 100% of normal salary, or may opt for 52 weeks leave, paid at 50% of your normal salary.
There are also two options which require prior approval of your Head of Element and should be discussed with your supervisor in the first instance.
You may take 14 weeks leave paid at 100% of your normal salary, plus any other leave such as unpaid, recreation or long service leave, and the remainder of parental leave utilised on your return to work to enable you to return to work on a part-time basis but receive a full salary for a period of time.
Similarly, 21 weeks leave paid at 100% of your normal salary may be taken, plus 6 weeks recreation or long service leave and returning to work on a 80% fraction for the next 25 weeks being paid at 100% of normal salary. This also enables your to work part-time but still receive a full salary for a period of time.
Approval for these last two options should not be unreasonably withheld, however as they involve a part-time return to work plan, the impacts of a part-time arrangement on your work area will need to be considered by your supervisor before an approval can be granted. This may include considering your ability to perform the requirements of the role part-time, whether a job share or redistribution of responsibilities is feasible, and the impacts on other staff in the area.

5. Keeping in touch and Returning to work
Prior to leave, you and your manager should agree on a strategy to keep in touch.
Benefits for keeping in touch:
You will be informed of changes which occur in the workplace which may impact on you.
You will keep your manager informed of any changes in your circumstances while on leave such as a change in dates or in your return to work arrangements.
Formal Keep in Touch days
Returning to Work
At the end of the leave period, the staff member will return to their substantive role wherever possible. You should discuss your return to work with your manager and negotiate any training or induction which may be required to help you transition back to work.
KEEPING IN TOUCH:
It is important for you and your manager to confirm how you will keep in touch prior to commencing leave. Ways you might choose to keep in contact with work include:
Via to your home or work s
Regular visits to the office
Keeping up to date with general information with your colleagues
Being invited to, and attending office social events
The University expects that you will be kept informed of any changes in circumstances at work which may impact on you when you return. Likewise, it is expected that you will keep your supervisor informed of any changes in your own circumstances. This might include changes to dates of leave and return to work, or to your arrangements for returning to work.
Employees receiving Paid Parental Leave have the option, with the University’s agreement, to keep in touch with the University by means of formal Keep in Touch work days. This is an initiative of the Department of Human Services and allows provision for you to complete work activities for up to 10 days without affecting your paid parental leave entitlements. This might include attendance at a key conference or training activity, or at key meetings which will assist your transition back to work.
RETURNING TO WORK:
Staff members generally return to their substantive position at the end of their leave period. It is important to remember that some training or induction may be required when returning to work to assist a smooth transition. Information on returning to work part time is provided in the next slide.

6. Reversible Part-time Arrangements
Flexible work arrangements such as a reversible fractional appointment may be available on your return to work.
Considerations by supervisor and approving officer include:
Nature of role
Impact on other employees
Operational requirements
Negotiation may need to occur around
Fraction (how many days/hours per week)
Pattern (which days)
Duration (how long will the arrangement be required)
Role (will reassignment to another role be appropriate)
Flexibility & open communication are key to achieving an arrangement which will best fit with the requirements of both the University and the staff member.
A staff member who is eligible may wish to return to work on a reversible part-time appointment.
Applications for reversible part-time appointments will be considered in light of the operational requirements. Applications will normally be granted, however where it is determined that a change to part-time status could not be supported in the work area, for example due to the nature of your role, impact on other employees in the area or other operational reasons, your supervisor will discuss these reasons with you and also provide you with a written explanation outlining the reasons.
If your requested arrangement cannot be supported, your supervisor may suggest a modified arrangement and will discuss with you the reasons and the details needing to be modified. This might be modifications to the fraction, which is usually no less than 50%; the pattern of work (or which days you work), and/or the length of time the part-time arrangement will be in place (which is usually no less than 12 months and may be up to 5 years).
If after discussion, you are unable to reach a suitable outcome for both yourself and the work area, either a temporary or permanent reassignment to a similar position within the work area would be appropriate.
Return to work plans should be discussed and determined at least in principle prior to your commencement of leave.
The emphasis in all of these discussions is on good balance between the operational needs of the work unit and your return to work.

7. Questions
If you have any further questions in relation to parental leave and reversible part-time appointments, you may also wish to consult the relevant Enterprise Agreement or visit the HR website.