Parental leave payments to increase

Parental leave payments will increase by 6.33% from Friday, 1 July 2022, to match the rise in the average weekly earnings.

The maximum weekly rate for eligible employees and self-employed parents will increase from $621.76 to $661.12 gross per week.

Under the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987, eligible parents are entitled to payments equal to their normal pay, up to the current maximum rate. The maximum rate is adjusted annually to account for any increase in average weekly earnings.

The minimum parental leave payment rate for self-employed parents will increase this year from $200 to $212 gross per week, to reflect the minimum wage increase on 1 April this year.

The minimum rate for self-employed parents is equivalent to 10 hours worked per week at the adult minimum wage, which is now $21.20 per hour.