Know your working conditions: Parental leave and entitlements
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 3, 23 May 2025, page no 17.
When QTU members know the ‘rules’ around their leave entitlements, requesting leave as an employee or approving leave as a delegated decision-maker can be executed with confidence. Knowledge is power, but when it comes to paid parental leave, there is a lot to know.
Updated directive
In September last year, the Paid Parental Leave Directive was updated as part of the Office of Industrial Relations’ review of all Ministerial Directives, with the intent of ensuring that they align with changes under the Public Sector Act 2022. As a key stakeholder, the QTU engaged in that review before the subsequent release of the updated directive.
What looks different?
QTU members will notice the introduction of cultural parentage leave as a type of paid parental leave, which aligns with the Industrial Relations Act 2016. Other noticeable changes include some of the terminology in the updated directive.
For example, QTU members may be familiar with terms like “estimated date of confinement”, which refers to an expected date of birth; now the term “significant date” is used. Further, terms such as “pre-natal leave” and “pre-surrogacy leave” have been replaced under the broader term, “appointment leave”.
The term “appointment leave” is now used to ensure all necessary preparations or appointments can be captured. Not all appointments are medical or court-based, and so this broadened term is intended to cover appointments that relate to birth, adoption, cultural parentage transfer and surrogacy.
Although an employee must submit a leave request for every absence on appointment leave, another noticeable amendment makes it clear that these applications only have to be supported by evidence if it is requested. Further, those evidence requirements have changed to read “sufficient evidence to satisfy a reasonable person”.
Advice to members
The QTU encourages members to read the updated QTU ‘Parental leave and entitlements’ information brochure here (www.qtu.asn.au/application/files/2417/3993/5467/Parental_leave_and_entitlements_Feb2025.pdf). This covers a wide range of topics that are of interest to employees who intend to access parental leave, as well as detailing what they need to consider regarding a return to the workplace following that leave.
Reading the information brochure is a good starting point, but the QTU can offer members a more detailed look into parental leave entitlements through member information sessions, scheduled across 2025.
Member information sessions
Online sessions via Teams will be hosted by subject matter expert Gillian Crotty, Assistant Secretary – Women’s Officer, Social Welfare. A QTU Organiser will also support each session. Members will be notified in the lead up to each session.
Dates:
- 18 June, 4pm
- 20 August, 4pm
- 12 November, 4pm.
Each information session is intended for:
- temporary, permanent and long-term casual employees
- delegated decision makers.
The purpose of each session is to educate QTU members about who is eligible for the paid parental leave entitlement, how to access it, and the rights associated with parental leave under the Industrial Relations Act 2016.
The QTU encourages you to read the updated brochure and attend an information session to learn more about the “rules” of parental leave. Union members understand that knowing their working conditions matters. Empowering yourself with a better understanding of parental leave might just help you plan ahead and make informed decisions.