Are you a teacher adding parental leave to your calendar? Congratulations on the little one (or ones!) who will soon join your family! This is an exciting time, but you’re bound to be full of questions too.
What does maternity leave or paternity leave look like when you’ve got a classroom of students to plan for? And how does parental leave affect your teacher pay?
As teachers, we love to plan and organise, and your impending bundle of joy is an exciting reason to get out the sticky notes, highlighters, and diary! That’s why our teacher team has pulled together a list of teacher-specific preparations for you to schedule before your baby arrives. Read on for tips on how to plan for your leave, plus questions to ask your admin before you go!
Parental Leave Available to Australian Teachers
Here in Australia, National Employment Standards ensure eligible employees (including casual employees in some cases!) are entitled to parental leave. That includes teachers who have worked for their school for at least 12 months, whether they’re looking to take time away from the classroom for maternity leave (for mums), paternity leave (for dads and partners) or adoption leave!
This means you’ll be guaranteed the ability to return to your pre-parental leave position in the school or an available position for which you’re qualified and suited. According to the law, that position should be one which is ‘nearest in status and pay to [your] pre-parental leave position, if [your] pre-parental leave position doesn’t exist any more.’ For example, you may have been a year 1 teacher before maternity leave and come back to the school only to find you’ve been placed in year 2. That’s legal under the rules.
How Much Is Paid Parental Leave?
As a teacher, you may be entitled to two different allocations of paid parental leave, which can be taken consecutively. One is the Federal Government’s Parental Leave Pay scheme, and the other is your employer’s separate parental leave entitlement. You must be on leave — and not working in the classroom — when you use a Parental Leave Pay day, unless you are working for an allowable reason.
The laws have recently changed, so you might experience a different payment option than friends who had maternity leave last year or the year before! Here’s how the federal pay scheme works:
Primary carers caring for a child who is born or adopted before 1 July 2023
- Must pass an income test
- Can receive payments for up to 18 weeks
- Are eligible for a payment of $162.49 a day before tax, or $812.45 per 5-day week
Mums and Dads caring for a child who is born or adopted from 1 July 2023
- Must pass an income test
- Can receive payment for up to 100 days, or 20 weeks, shared between the two parents
- Are eligible for a payment of $162.49 a day before tax, or $812.45 per 5-day week
What About Dads and Partners?
While a primary carer parent has traditionally been eligible for the bulk of parental leave pay, a dad or partner who is not the primary carer can get paid for their time off too — and the rules are about to change soon.
Teachers who are taking time off under the Dad or Partner rules are currently eligible for up to 2 weeks of pay while caring for a new child born or adopted before 1 July 2023. But come 1 July, the government will be combining Dad and Partner Pay with Parental Leave Pay.
That means if your child is born or adopted after 1 July, you and your partner will be subject to a combined family income limit, and two parents can share their Parental Leave Pay with each other. Parents will even be able to take days at the same time.
Teacher Parental Leave Planning Guide
Ok, now that we’ve covered the laws, let’s look at how to prepare for your teacher parental leave!
Working and preparing for a baby can be hectic, and if you’re pregnant, it can be physically exhausting! Planning ahead will help you set goals and feel organised. Much of the following will cover ideas for pregnant teachers, but there is applicable information for dads-to-be and parents who plan to adopt as well!
We recommend you take a planner — whether it’s digital or a hardcopy — and work backward from your due date, writing the week of pregnancy at the top of each page. Some awesome pregnancy apps are around to help you match up your dates and keep track of your weeks.
First Trimester Teacher Parental Leave Checklist
The first trimester is defined as conception to 13 weeks.
- Start a paper or electronic file for all of the emails, documents, and forms you’ll receive with regard to your pregnancy or adoption. There is a lot of paperwork coming your way!
- Research your leave entitlements (take a look at the Human Services Australia website, and your state or territory Teacher’s Union website, as these will both provide official and helpful info).
- If you have a partner, look into their leave entitlements also.
- If you’re going to claim Paid Parental Leave and don’t have a Centrelink customer reference number (CRN), apply for one, as you’ll need this.
- Think about when you’d ideally like to finish work. It’s great to have a tentative end-date in mind when you’re planning, and this can definitely be adjusted.
- Think about when you’d like to inform your principal that you’re expecting. You are not obligated to disclose your pregnancy in the early stages. Most states and territories require a minimum of 10 weeks’ notice before your intended leave start date, so you have plenty of time.
- Pop lots of healthy, high-protein snacks in your desk drawer.
- Look into childcare options in your area if you will require care, as some areas have very high demand and long waitlists.
- Set up or update your relief teacher folder to prepare for appointment-lreated absences.
Second Trimester Teacher Parental Leave Checklist
The second trimester is from weeks 14-27.
- Organise assessment and reporting data. Keep everything up-to-date in case you need to make a swift exit.
- If you’re a mum-to-be, this is a time when you might announce your pregnancy and the plans for a replacement to your students and their families.
- Tidy up your classroom and desk area, and begin taking home or storing personal items.
- Have a huge clear out — recycle old paper and dispose of resources and equipment that are no longer useful.
- Check in with your teaching team or teaching partner about your plans.
- Check in with specialist teachers and learning support.
Third Trimester Teacher Parental Leave Checklist
The third trimester is from weeks 28-40.
- If you know who will be replacing you, make contact and arrange a ‘handover’ meeting.
- Leave passwords and logins for students somewhere safe and accessible.
- Clear off your work laptop, and get ready to hand it back.
- Talk to admin about your classroom keys.
- Discuss with your admin whether or not you’ll need to lesson plan for a couple of weeks during the changeover. (You may want to do this anyway to help the relief teacher transition into the classroom.)
- Complete all of your paperwork for your administrator to lodge on your behalf.
- Catch up on your marking and recording data.
- Choose a last day and let your colleagues know when this is.
- Let your students know when you’re planning to finish work and remind them as the time approaches.
- Send an email to caregivers letting them know you’re finishing up, and (if known) include an introduction and picture of the new classroom teacher.
- Ensure your contact details, teacher registration and union membership are current.
- Finalise your PD recording for the period.
- Set up an automated reply from your work email to begin the day you finish.
- If your classroom has a fridge, clear it out.
- Pack up and take home all of your personal belongings from your classroom and common areas.
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