Maternity leave

[Guest rizzo]

Hi

 

Was wondering if anyone could offer any advise on maternity leave here. Understand the 18 week money that comes from the government (or baby bonus) but wondering more about what companies offer. Would imagine that most don't offer any paid maternity leave but was wondering if anyone knows what the 'normal' amount of time off most companies give or whether it really differs from company to company.

 

Cheers

 

Emma

[Guest rachinadelaide]

I think it varies from company to company. I work for local gov and we have a workplace agreement which sets out the mat leave entitlements. I got 10 weeks fully paid as I had been with them for more than 3 years. Had I been there for more than 5 years I would have got 12 weeks fully paid but fewer than 3 years and it was unpaid leave only. We have just voted in a new workplace agreemnet and this has all changed. Now it doesn't matter how long you have worked there, everyone gets 18 weeks 'top-up' payments to take the gov paid parental leave up to a full week's pay.

I think it would be something to check out with each employer.

 

I believe you are allowed 2 years off unless you have a workplace agreement that says different. I was talking to a friend in HR about this recently and she said employers have to have a very good reason not to allow the full 2 years. I think this is in the Safework SA guidelines. However I could be very wrong about this!! You could give Safework SA a call as a strating point.

Edited May 29, 2012 by rachinadelaide
hadn't finished!

[Guest rizzo]

Thanks for all that information rachinadelaide