Dad and Baby Bonding
Dads
and partners play an important role in the vital early months of their child’s
life. To help dads and partners take time off from work, Dad
and Partner Pay will be available to eligible working dads or partners who care
for a child born or adopted from 1 January 2013.
It is a
new payment under the Australian Government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme,
providing up to two weeks of Government-funded pay at the rate of the National
Minimum Wage (currently about $606 per week before tax).
A
strong relationship between dad and baby provides an excellent start to healthy social, emotional and cognitive
development. That’s why it’s so important that dads take some time off work, to
bond with their new baby and to share the caring responsibility and support
mothers or partners from the very beginning. Dad and partner Pay helps to provide
financial support for dads and partners to be able to take time off from work
to do so.
Dads
can bond with their newborn through eye contact, cuddling, talking and
smiling. Babies love to hear the sound of voices, so talking, reading or
singing to a newborn also helps strengthen the bond between parent and child.[1]
Dads
or partners taking some time off work also have more opportunity to share and
learn from the experiences of early parenting: exploring their baby’s moods and
needs, establishing routines, and enjoying their emerging personality.
Working
dads or partners, including those adopting and parents in same-sex partners,
may be eligible for Dad and Partner Pay. For more information about the payment
and eligibility, go to www.australia.gov.au/dadandpartnerpay
Introduction to Dad and Partner
Pay
Dad and Partner Pay provides
eligible working dads or partners with financial support to be able to take
time off work to bond in the vital early months of their baby’s life. An
extension of the Australian Government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme, this new entitlement
adds to the options available to support families to balance work and family
commitments.
Dad and Partner Pay is 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. Claims can be lodged up to three months before the
expected date of birth or adoption. First claims can be lodged from 1 October
2012.
Dads or partners eligible for Dad
and Partner Pay will apply to and be paid directly by Centrelink. To lodge a
claim, a dad or partner may register for Centrelink Online services at
www.humanservices.gov.au, and complete an online claim, or call Centrelink on
136 150 to request a paper claim form. Claiming early, before the birth or
adoption, and lodging proof of birth or entry into care as soon as possible,
helps to avoid payment delays.
Eligible dads or partners will
receive up to two weeks of Government--‐funded pay at the rate of the National Minimum Wage (currently
about $606 per week before tax) that can be taken anytime in the first year
following birth or adoption.
Eligibility
Full--‐time, part--‐time, casual, contract, seasonal and self--‐employed workers (including those who work in
a family business) may be eligible.
In order to be eligible, dads or
partners will also need to:
• be
caring for a child born or adopted from 1 January 2013
• be
an Australian resident
• have
worked for at least 10 of the 13 months prior to the start date of their Dad
and Partner Pay period
• have
worked for at least 330 hours in that 10 month period (just over one day a
week), with no more than an eight week gap between consecutive two working
days
• have
an individual adjusted taxable income of $150,000 or less in the previous
financial year
• be
on unpaid leave or not working during the Dad and Partner Pay period.
In addition to Dad and Partner
Pay, families may be eligible for other family assistance such as Paid Parental
Leave or Baby Bonus, and Family Tax Benefit.
Claims must be lodged by the dad
or partner who is eligible to receive the payment.
Leave arrangements
To be eligible for Dad and
Partner Pay, dads or partners must be on unpaid leave from their employer or
not working during their two--‐week Dad
and Partner Pay period. Dads and partners will need to discuss and agree on
unpaid leave arrangements directly with their employer. Dad and Partner Pay can
be taken before or after employer--‐funded paid leave but cannot be taken at the same time the
employee is taking paid leave.
Dad and Partner Pay does not
change any existing entitlements to unpaid parental leave under a current
workplace agreement or law, and it doesn’t change your entitlement to unpaid
parental leave under the National Employment Standards. Parents who have worked
continuously for their employer for 12 months or more prior to the birth or
adoption have an entitlement to up to 12 months of unpaid parental leave, under
the National Employment Standards, with the option of extending that time by up
to 12 months if their employer agrees. If both parents are eligible, they can
take three weeks of their unpaid parental leave at the same time starting
immediately after the birth, or by agreement with their employer, within the
period up to six weeks after the birth.
Parents who have worked for their
employer for less than 12 months may negotiate unpaid parental leave with their
employer. For more information about unpaid parental leave under the National
Employment Standards, visit www.fairwork.gov.au
More detailed information is
available at www.australia.gov.au/dadandpartnerpay.
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