So You’re Pregnant…Now What? | PART 3
Lisa Johnson • August 23, 2017
How much do you get?
If you are the primary carer of a newborn or adopted child, you are entitled to get up to 18 weeks leave paid at the national minimum wage. In 2017, this works out to be $695.00 before tax and is paid to you directly from your employer or from Centrelink.
Can you get both the employer paid leave and the government paid leave?
Yes. The government HAS proposed some changes to this, but those changes have not been ratified, and it is my understanding that any changes would not apply if you are already pregnant.
Is everyone eligible for the government paid parental scheme?
No. Although many, many people are. Primarily, you need to be:
- The birth mother of a newborn; or
- An adopting parent; or
- Another person caring for a child under exceptional circumstances; and
- You meet the work test which is based on the 13 months prior to the expected due date,
- You meet residency requirements,
- You have received an individual adjusted income of $150,000 or less,
- You are on leave or not working when you receive the payment
When and How do I apply for the government paid parental scheme?
You can be super organised and actually apply for the payment up to three months before you are due to give birth. I kind of recommend this, so you get all your ‘ducks in a row’ and don’t have to run around dealing with too much paperwork with a ‘little one’ in tow.
You apply online (I will add links below), including telling Centrelink when you want your payments to start, and then Centrelink will review and let you know the outcome.
Then, after bub arrives, you just need to log back into your MyGov account, provide the birth and the birth registration details and sit back and enjoy the beautiful little tyrant who has completely changed your life!
Good luck pregnant peoples…as I write this, I only have three weeks to go before my parental leave starts and six weeks until Tyrant #3 makes himself the centre of attention!
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