Parental Leave

A new survey involving hundreds of Australian parents finds workplaces aren't communicating with staff while on parental leave, and are changing their jobs without consultation.

It has been more than 30 years since the HECS system widened access to tertiary education. But after a number of changes over the years, there is concern about inequity between men and women.

Crossbenchers say the treasurer should "absolutely" use some of the cash recouped from proposed super changes to pay superannuation on Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave, arguing it could rectify the current "glaring gap" in support for new parents.

Staff at a Queensland council will retain the right to maternity leave after a full bench of the industrial commission's ruled in the union's favour.

The federal budget provided sobering evidence of how motherhood as we currently structure it condemns women to a lifelong economic penalty that hurts not just individual women but our economy more broadly, writes Patricia Karvelas.

The federal government announces a plan to gradually increase paid parental leave entitlements until parents have six months of paid leave per family by 2026. 

Some are questioning why increased paid parental leave isn't among the 36 immediate initiatives announced after the two-day event. 

There are growing calls for the federal government to act on an increase for paid parental leave with several crossbenchers backing the policy. But the government argues it doesn't have the cash to pay for it.

The NSW government is promising to drive down childcare costs and increase the number of places by spending $5 billion on the sector over the next 10 years.

Federal Labor has ruled out paying superannuation on Commonwealth-funded parental leave, a policy it took to the 2019 election to bridge the gender gap and improve retirement savings for women.

Mick Davies says having time off to be with his kids has been fantastic for him and his family, but he never thought it would happen.

The federal government's budget change falls short of calls for 26 weeks' paid parental leave with a "clear, use-it-or-lose-it" component to encourage more take-up by fathers, writes Nassim Khadem.

The $346-million plan will see an extra 2,200 families get access to the scheme for the first time.

Labor may dump its 2019 election promise to pay superannuation on Commonwealth-funded parental leave, though it is facing pressure to keep the commitment.

For International Women's Day 2022, we asked Australian families what would happen if women went on strike from unpaid childcare and domestic chores. 

While the $26,000 gender pay gap should be alarming to many, those who downplay the data's significance like to draw attention to what it doesn't show, writes Nassim Khadem.

Ahead of the federal election, there are calls for the government to step in and offer 26 weeks paid parental leave so that more fathers share the role of primary carer during their child's life.

Tide and Kove were born prematurely at 34 weeks and are still at the hospital's specialist nursery. Their parents hope the whole family will be home by Christmas.

I refuse to be defined by our home-schooling success — or lack thereof — and, in fact, I have a plan for surviving these last weeks before the official return to school on October 18.

A new report by the Grattan Institute outlines how more gender equal parental leave could improve the lives of Australian families.

A report out this Father's Day calls for a rethink of the parental leave scheme, proposing six weeks of leave for each parent, and another 12 weeks on tap.

After my mum was murdered, I had to fight to access paid parental leave. This week, after years of advocacy, the law was finally changed so other domestic violence victims don't have to go through what I did, writes Amani Haydar.

The federal government will look to amend the Paid Parental Leave scheme to allow expectant parents to benefit, despite extended lockdowns affecting their ability to work.

Taking work calls and meeting deadlines isn't easy when you're also dealing with constant interruptions from children in lockdown. Find out what you're entitled to (and what some businesses are promising their staff).

In the US, roughly one in four mothers with full-time jobs return to work less than 10 days after childbirth. Americans aren't optimistic Joe Biden's new policy proposal can change that.