AUSTRALIA IS TAKING FURTHER STEPS TO INCREASE WOMEN’S WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION BY SUPPORTING A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF WORK AND CARE BETWEEN PARENTS

30 Sep 2023

From 1 July 2023, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Protecting Worker Entitlements) Act 2023 provides stronger access to unpaid parental leave so that employees can use their leave in the way that best suits their families, and encourages better sharing of work and caring responsibilities.

The changes increased flexibility by:

• increasing the quantum of flexible unpaid parental leave days from 30 days to 100 days
• allowing pregnant employees to take flexible unpaid parental leave days up to 6 weeks before the expected date of birth of their child
• removing the concept of employee couples, so that both parents can take leave at the same time if available
• ensuring an employee can request an extension of unpaid parental leave regardless of amount of leave their partner has taken

These changes complement the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Act 2023 which made Government funded Parental Leave Pay flexible down to a single day.

You can find out more about the changes made to unpaid parental leave here.