How long is maternity leave in Australia
Feb 5th 2007, 8:30 pm
#1
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How long is maternity leave in Australia
Does anyone know how long maternity leave is in Australia? Just interested, as it will be likley that our second child (when we eventually get pregnant) will be born in Australia
Feb 5th 2007, 9:51 pm
#2
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
Stand to be corrected but I don't think it's as good as the UK. In fact I'm sure I read somewhere that Australia and the US are the only two countries in the OECD with no statutory maternity leave.
Feb 5th 2007, 9:51 pm
#3
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
Don't think you get any 
You just get the baby bonus.
You just get the baby bonus.
Feb 5th 2007, 9:58 pm
#4
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
Under Work Choices, the parental leave provisions include:
- up to 52 weeks of unpaid parental leave (including maternity, paternity and adoption leave) for parents to take on a shared basis to care for their newborn child or newly adopted child under the age of five years. Other than one week at the time of the birth (or three weeks in the case of adoption), both parents cannot be on parental leave at the same time;
- special maternity leave of an amount as recommended by a registered medical practitioner for a pregnancy related illness or in the event that the pregnancy ends other than by a live birth;
- a period of short paternity leave for male employees of one week taken within the week his spouse gives birth;
- the right to transfer to a safe job if, in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner, a female employee is unable to continue in her present position because of illness or risks arising out of her pregnancy or hazards connected with that position. If it is not reasonably practicable to transfer the employee to a safe job, then the employee is entitled to take paid leave (or may be directed by the employer to take paid leave) until the earliest of the end of the period stated in the medical certificate or the date of birth. Such paid leave does not reduce the total period of parental leave;
- in the case of adoption, up to two days of unpaid pre-adoption leave to attend any interviews or examinations required to obtain approval for the adoption unless the employee can take other authorised leave for such purposes.
Feb 5th 2007, 10:00 pm
#5
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
I think there is a one off payment of $4,100 for each child born in australia (see this link: http://www.familyassist.gov.au/Inter...ity_payment#2).
I got all the above just by googling a few queries.
Hope that helps.....
D.
Feb 5th 2007, 10:10 pm
#6
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
Under Work Choices, the parental leave provisions include:
- up to 52 weeks of unpaid parental leave (including maternity, paternity and adoption leave) for parents to take on a shared basis to care for their newborn child or newly adopted child under the age of five years. Other than one week at the time of the birth (or three weeks in the case of adoption), both parents cannot be on parental leave at the same time;
- special maternity leave of an amount as recommended by a registered medical practitioner for a pregnancy related illness or in the event that the pregnancy ends other than by a live birth;
- a period of short paternity leave for male employees of one week taken within the week his spouse gives birth;
- the right to transfer to a safe job if, in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner, a female employee is unable to continue in her present position because of illness or risks arising out of her pregnancy or hazards connected with that position. If it is not reasonably practicable to transfer the employee to a safe job, then the employee is entitled to take paid leave (or may be directed by the employer to take paid leave) until the earliest of the end of the period stated in the medical certificate or the date of birth. Such paid leave does not reduce the total period of parental leave;
- in the case of adoption, up to two days of unpaid pre-adoption leave to attend any interviews or examinations required to obtain approval for the adoption unless the employee can take other authorised leave for such purposes.
Feb 5th 2007, 10:11 pm
#7
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
It is true there is no State help . I have just started my maternity leave and it will all depend on the company you work for and what arrangements they have. I get quite a bit of full paid maternity leave, however I am aware of others who have got nothing.
Feb 5th 2007, 10:14 pm
#8
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
I’ll resist the temptation to comment about social advancement in Australia.
Feb 5th 2007, 10:44 pm
#9
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
There are some who say that the baby bonus encourages the creation of teenage single mothers. And then they spend the bonus on widescreen TV's. If they had paid maternity leave too, goodness knows what would happen. It was all over the news in November.
Feb 5th 2007, 10:49 pm
#10
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
Hmmm.... however with no support for mothers, what incentive is there to encourage educated professional women to procreate? 
Feb 5th 2007, 10:57 pm
#11
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
Forget the economics, what about the duty of society to encourage maternal bonding?
Feb 5th 2007, 11:14 pm
#12
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
I love lots of things here in Australia but can't understand the lack of paid maternity leave in lots of companies.
Mrs JTL
Feb 5th 2007, 11:20 pm
#13
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
I'm self employed anyway so wouldnt get any, just have to make do with the baby bonus as some form of maternity pay to cover when I'm off...
Feb 5th 2007, 11:22 pm
#14
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
Thing is Aus news loves to exaggerate stories, must have been a slow news day that day..!
Feb 5th 2007, 11:25 pm
#15
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Re: How long is maternity leave in Australia
The majority of companies do not provide paid maternity leave (it's currently about a 60/40 split).
It's really hard to find out which ones do or not - it's not something you want to bring up at the interview (even though you should be able to do so without worrying they won't give you the job if it sounds like you're planning on getting pregnant soon!).
The public sector provides between 9-14 weeks paid maternity leave, banks like ANZ and Westpac are pretty good with 12 weeks, universities tend to be generous too, and Qantas are also meant to be female friendly.
And you need to have been with the employer for a year to qualify for paid and/or unpaid leave btw.
It's really hard to find out which ones do or not - it's not something you want to bring up at the interview (even though you should be able to do so without worrying they won't give you the job if it sounds like you're planning on getting pregnant soon!).
The public sector provides between 9-14 weeks paid maternity leave, banks like ANZ and Westpac are pretty good with 12 weeks, universities tend to be generous too, and Qantas are also meant to be female friendly.
And you need to have been with the employer for a year to qualify for paid and/or unpaid leave btw.