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How to prepare for your role as an employer in the Paid Parental Leave scheme

Employers play an important role in the Paid Parental Leave scheme.

Follow these steps in order to prepare for your role in providing government-funded Parental Leave Pay to your eligible employees:

• Register with Centrelink Business Online Services for the Paid Parental Leave scheme.
• Opt in to provide Parental Leave Pay to eligible employees.
• Discuss your employee’s leave intentions and workplace entitlements with them.
• Employee lodges a claim (this can be up to three months before the expected date of the birth or adoption).
• We decide whether the employee is eligible.
• We then decide whether you are required to provide Parental Leave Pay, and we notify you of this decision.
• You then need to either accept the decision to provide Parental Leave Pay to your employee or seek a review of the decision.
• If you accept the decision, you need to provide to us or confirm with us your pay-cycle and bank-account details.
• You will receive the funds from us before you need to provide Parental Leave Pay to your employee.

Employers do not play a role in providing Dad and Partner Pay. We always pay your employees directly. It’s still important to be aware of Dad and Partner Pay because your employee may approach you about taking unpaid leave so that they can receive Dad and Partner Pay.