When paid parental leave starts

Generally, you cannot get paid parental leave until you stop working or begin parental leave from work.

The latest you can start receiving it is:

• your baby's due date
• the day your baby is born
• the date the child comes into your care.

If you apply after this date we'll pay you the entitlement you missed out on as a lump sum.

Paid parental leave is for one continuous period of up to 26 weeks. During this period, you can still work for your employer from time to time using keeping in touch days.

Taking annual or other paid leave before paid parental leave starts

If you finish work early because you go on annual leave or another type of leave, paid parental leave can start the day after the leave ends. The leave can end after your baby is born or comes into your care.

If your baby is premature

If your baby is born more than 3 weeks early you may qualify for premature baby payments. You will get these from the day your baby is born through to the end of what would have been your 36th week of pregnancy.  You can also get the premature baby payments if you have primary care of the baby during this time but are not the birth mother. Your regular paid parental leave payments will start after this.

You might go back to work after you start receiving the premature baby payment. If you do go back to work, the payments will stop. 

If you are already getting paid parental leave 

If you have already applied for paid parental leave get in touch with us to start your premature baby payments.

If you're already getting paid parental leave and your baby is born before week 37 - get in touch with us to begin paying you premature baby payments. We will restart your paid parental leave payments after your pre-term payments have finished.