Closed petition Change Parental Leave eligibility to make leave equal for men and women

Closed on 5 June 2023

Change the eligibility criteria for Parental leave so it matches Maternity Leave Criteria. This allows the second parent the same rights to look after their child as the birthing partner, and allows a family to make a decision on the best way to handle childcare without sacrificing income.

To qualify for Parental Leave, the parent must have been employed continuously by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the due date. This means they have to have been employed with the employee when the baby is conceived.

Whereas, the partner giving birth need only be employed when they need to take the leave and give the correct notice (15 weeks).

This means Parental leave is often unaccessible and therefore bias toward the birthing partner. In many families, the birthing partner is the main earner or the birthing partner may need additional support after childbirth, but this eligibility leaves no room for families to make a choice that suits their needs.