A law change means new rules for parental leave from June 2017. Changes include when a new parent can take parental leave payments, and what happens if a baby is born prematurely.
New leave rules
When: 1 June 2017.
What: Parents who want to get parental leave payments can choose to first use other types of paid leave they’re entitled to, eg:
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annual leave
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alternative days
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special leave
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time off in lieu.
They can choose to start their 18-week parental leave payment period once they have taken other types of paid leave — even if this is after the child’s arrival.
Previously the parental leave payment period couldn’t start later than the child’s arrival.
Premature babies
When: 1 June 2017.
What: If a working parent is applying for or getting parental leave payments and their baby arrives before the end of 36 weeks’ pregnancy, they can get:
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preterm baby payments for up to 13 weeks
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parental leave payments when they go back on parental leave — if it’s no later than the original expected due date.
If they go back to work for a period between the preterm baby being born and the original expected due date of the baby — other than for their keeping in touch hours — they will lose any remaining entitlement to preterm payments.
But they’ll still be entitled to up to 18 weeks’ parental leave payments — or however many weeks are remaining — if they’ve stopped work before the original expected due date and if the baby hadn’t been born prematurely.
For more information on parental leave, go to the Employment New Zealand website.