Dad and Partner Pay helps employers support their employees

Australian businesses now have even more opportunity to provide supportive and inclusive workplaces with the introduction of Dad and Partner Pay. The new payment is administered and paid directly by the Australian Government, allowing businesses to support their employees without being out of pocket.

Dad and Partner Pay is a new payment under the Australian Government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme. It’s available to eligible working dads or partners – including adopting parents and same-sex partners who care for a child born or adopted from 1 January 2013.

The new entitlement provides two weeks of government-funded pay at the rate of the National Minimum Wage (currently about $606 per week before tax) to eligible working dads and partners, including adoptive parents and same‐sex partners, whose child is born or adopted from 1 January 2013.

Having a new baby in the house is a big adjustment for any family. Many dads and partners want to take time off to support their partner and be with the new addition to their family, but may feel uncomfortable asking their employer for the time off.

Australian businesses can help by enabling staff to meet their family commitments and encouraging eligible employees to take up the new entitlement. Employers and employees can negotiate when to take the leave, but it must be taken in the first 12 months following the birth or adoption.

Claims must be lodged with Centrelink by the dad or partner who is eligible to receive the payment. Claims can be lodged up to three months before the expected date of birth or adoption or within 12 months following their child’s birth or adoption.

Dad and Partner Pay gives parents another option to help balance family and work and employers are being encouraged to work with their employees to help them to achieve this balance.

Implementing family-friendly policies can help businesses increase staff loyalty, morale and motivation in the workplace. This in turn can help reduce absenteeism and staff turnover.

To help support businesses, the Australian Government has developed a fact sheet, ‘Dad and Partner Pay: The facts of life for employers’, available for download at www.fahcsia.gov.au/dadandpartnerpay.

For more information for employers as well as eligibility criteria, visit
www.australia.gov.au/dadandpartnerpay or call the business hotline on 131 158.

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