One of the most valuable benefits of working in the NSW Government is access to generous paid parental leave. These entitlements have become significantly more generous in recent years, giving parents more time and flexibility than ever before. You can also combine this leave with other entitlements to make the most of your time with your child when they’re born or come into your care.
If you work in the NSW Government sector, you may be eligible for up to 14 weeks of NSW parental leave when you have responsibility for the care of a child—through birth, adoption, altruistic surrogacy, or ongoing placement (such as foster care under a legal order). This leave can be combined with flex leave, annual leave, long service leave, and Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave to extend your time off even further.
If you want access to these generous leave options, it is time to land yourself in a NSW government job. To get started, download this free template for writing your NSW Government cover letter.
NSW Parental Leave Explained
The main policy that outlines NSW parental leave entitlements is:
Below is a breakdown of the key points you need to know.
Table of Contents
Who can access NSW Parental Leave?
To be eligible for paid parental leave in the NSW Government sector, you must have completed at least 40 weeks of continuous service by the time of the birth, adoption, altruistic surrogacy, or formal placement of a child or young person into your care.
The leave applies whether the child is yours, your partner’s, or placed with you through a legal order (such as foster care or guardianship). You must also have responsibility for the child’s care during the leave period.
Ready to take advantage of these incredible leave entitlements? Step one is getting into a NSW Government role—and this free cover letter template will help you start strong.
Bonus NSW Paid Parental Leave (2 Extra Weeks)
In addition to the standard 14 weeks of paid leave, eligible employees may receive an extra 2 weeks of bonus paid parental leave if both parents have used up their employer-provided paid leave entitlements.
If you’re a single parent, or if your partner has no access to employer-paid parental leave, you can receive the full two weeks yourself. This bonus leave is designed to support shared parenting responsibilities or cover gaps for those without dual entitlements.
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What You’ll Need to Provide For NSW Parental Leave
To access NSW Government paid parental leave, you’ll need to give formal notice to your employer. This includes:
- The period of leave you’re requesting
- Your anticipated return-to-work date
- A confirmation that you’ll have primary responsibility for the child’s care during that time
You’ll also need to provide supporting evidence, which may include:
- A medical or birth certificate (for birth-related leave)
- Adoption or surrogacy documents
- Legal orders or placement confirmation (for foster/kinship care)
Parents Taking Leave at the Same Time (Concurrent Leave)
Both parents can access paid parental leave at the same time. However, if both are employed within the same NSW Government workplace, concurrent leave may be limited to four weeks, unless additional leave is approved by the employer.
This provision ensures operational needs are met while still supporting families in caring for their child together.
Flexibility in How NSW Parental Leave is Taken
Although NSW Government paid parental leave must be used within 24 months, it doesn’t have to be used all at once. Employees can request to:
- Take the leave in separate blocks
- Delay parts of the leave
- Take more than four weeks concurrently with their partner
Employers are required to consider such requests but may refuse them on reasonable business grounds, such as cost, staffing availability, or impact on service delivery.
In my experience, this approach makes a huge difference. Splitting your parental leave into two periods can be a smart and flexible way to manage time—especially if both parents are planning to take leave. It gives you the option to return to work temporarily, extend your total time at home, and better adapt to your family’s changing needs.
Additional Provisions for Foster Care and Surrogacy
NSW parental leave also applies to:
- Foster carers and relative/kinship carers with an ongoing legal placement
- Employees involved in altruistic surrogacy arrangements
However, if the placement ends (e.g., the child leaves your care), your paid parental leave ends too. You’ll need to inform your employer and may need to discuss a return-to-work date or alternative leave options.
Using NSW Parental Leave with Commonwealth Leave
Another great option is to combine your NSW parental leave with the Commonwealth Government’s Parental Leave Pay. This can be a smart way to extend your time away from work, giving you a longer break to care for your new child without missing out on financial support.
The Commonwealth payment is provided by Centrelink, not your employer, and it’s available to both parents. You’ll need to apply through Services Australia and meet a few eligibility criteria, including work and income tests. If approved, you can receive this payment on top of your NSW Government leave, either while on unpaid leave or to help top up a lower-rate paid arrangement like half-pay.
How Commonwealth Parental Leave Works With with NSW Parental Leave
You can take Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay on top of NSW Parental Leave. For example:
- You could take unpaid leave from your employer and receive the Centrelink payment during that time.
- Or, you could use your employer’s paid leave at half pay, and receive the Centrelink payment to top it up.
You still need to get approval for leave from your employer, but the payment itself comes from Centrelink.
Am I Eligible for Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay?
Chances are, yes! If you’re welcoming a new child through birth or adoption, you may qualify for Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay—a government-funded payment designed to support working parents during their time off.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be caring for a newborn or recently adopted child
- Meet both the work test and the income test
- Not be working on your Parental Leave Pay days (you need to be officially on leave—this includes when you’re on NSW Parental Leave)
- Register or apply to register your child’s birth with your state or territory registry if they’re a newborn
The Work Test – Are You Considered a ‘Working Parent’?
To meet the work test, you must have:
- Worked for at least 10 of the 13 months before the child’s birth or adoption
- Worked at least 330 hours total in that 10-month period—that’s roughly one day a week
You don’t need to have worked full-time or for the same employer. Casual, part-time, and contract work can all count.
The Income Test – How Much Can You Earn and Still Qualify?
Centrelink will assess your adjusted taxable income from the financial year before:
- The birth or adoption, or
- The date you lodge your claim
(They’ll use whichever is earlier.)
For the 2024–25 financial year, you must have:
- Individual income of $180,007 or less, or
- Combined family income of $373,094 or less
For the 2023–24 financial year, the thresholds were:
- Individual income of $175,788 or less, or
- Combined family income of $364,350 or less
If you have a partner (including a spouse or de facto), your family income will include both of your incomes combined. If you’re a single parent, only your income is counted.
Need help figuring out if you’re eligible? You can check your estimated entitlement on the Services Australia website.
How Much Is the Commonwealth Parental Leave Payment?
Parental Leave Pay is paid at the national minimum wage.
- From 1 July 2025, the rate is $189.62 per day, or $948.10 per 5-day week (before tax).
- The rate may change each financial year and is based on when you take the leave, not when the child was born.
How Many Days Can You Get?
This depends on your child’s date of birth or adoption.
Your child’s date of birth or adoption will determine how many days you can get. If you’re partnered, the date will also determine how many days your partner can get.
| Child’s date of birth or adoption is from | Your family can get up to |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2023 | 100 days, or 20 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
| 1 July 2024 | 110 days, or 22 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
| 1 July 2025 | 120 days, or 24 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
| 1 July 2026 | 130 days, or 26 weeks based on a 5 day work week |
If you pre-claim before 1 July 2026, you’ll start with 120 days, and Centrelink will top it up to 130 days once they receive proof of birth or adoption.
Can Parents Share the Leave?
Yes, Parental Leave Pay can be shared between eligible parents. If you’re a single parent, you’ll receive the full balance. If you have a partner:
- Some days are reserved just for them, depending on your child’s date of birth.
- You and your partner must decide how to split the remaining days.
| Child’s date of birth or adoption is from | Days reserved for your partner |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2023 | 10 days |
| 1 July 2024 | 10 days |
| 1 July 2025 | 15 days |
| 1 July 2026 | 20 days |
Concurrent days: From 1 July 2025, both parents can take up to 20 days together at the same time.
Special Rules for Surrogacy and Adoption
If you’re involved in a surrogacy arrangement or adoption, both the birth and gaining parents may qualify for Parental Leave Pay—provided they meet the eligibility requirements.
- If you’re the birth mother giving up care (e.g. through adoption or surrogacy), you may still receive leave to recover from the birth.
- Gaining parents must submit a claim and provide proof of the arrangement.
- Only one claim per child can be shared, even if there are multiple parents involved.
What If You’re Working or Returning to Work?
You must not be working on any day you claim Parental Leave Pay, unless it’s for an approved reason.
You can:
- Use your Parental Leave Pay before, during, or after any employer-funded leave like annual leave, long service leave, or NSW parental leave paid by your NSW government agency.
- Hold your unused days in a balance and use them later (within 2 years of your child’s birth or adoption).
- Share unused days with your partner (if they’re eligible).
NSW Paid Parental Leave vs Commonwealth Parental Leave
If you work in the NSW Government sector, you can access both NSW Paid Parental Leave and the Commonwealth’s Parental Leave Pay—if you meet the eligibility criteria for each.
- NSW parental leave is based on your service, has no income test, and is claimed through your employer.
- Commonwealth leave is based on your work history and income, and is paid through Centrelink.
By combining both, many parents are able to extend their time off—and, from 1 July 2025, receive superannuation contributions on their Centrelink payments too.
| Feature | NSW Parental Leave (Public Sector Only) | Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay (Available to All Eligible Parents) |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | NSW Government sector employees | All eligible working parents in Australia |
| Paid by | Your NSW Government employer | Centrelink (via Services Australia) |
| Work requirement | At least 40 weeks of continuous service with NSW Government | Worked 10 of the 13 months before birth/adoption & at least 330 hours |
| Income test | No income cap | Yes: Individual cap of $180,007 (2024–25); family cap of $373,094 |
| Leave duration | Up to 14 weeks paid leave (plus 2-week bonus in some cases) | Up to 24 weeks (120 days) from 1 July 2025 (increasing to 26 weeks in 2026) |
| Can be shared between parents? | Yes (if both work in NSW Gov, some limits apply) | Yes – days can be split/shared between parents |
| Superannuation included? | Yes – paid on full-time equivalent salary | Yes from 1 July 2025 |
| Use alongside other leave? | Yes – can combine with annual leave, flex, long service leave, etc. | Yes – can be taken before, during or after other paid/unpaid leave |
| Concurrent leave allowed? | Yes – both parents can take leave together (limits may apply) | Yes – up to 20 days concurrently from 1 July 2025 |
| Available for surrogacy/foster care? | Yes – includes altruistic surrogacy and ongoing placement under legal order | Yes – includes surrogacy and exceptional circumstances care arrangements |
| Claim process | Through your HR/leave portal | Apply via Centrelink/Services Australia |
How I Used NSW Parental Leave
When my first child was born, I was fortunate to take full advantage of both the NSW Government’s generous parental leave and the Commonwealth’s Parental Leave Pay. The expanded NSW entitlements had just come into effect, and they made a huge difference to how I structured my time off and managed work-life balance.
I started by taking three months off from the date of birth, using a combination of NSW Paid Parental Leave and some annual leave. After that, I returned to work for six months, before deciding to take another six months of extended leave.
For that second period, I used a mix of half-pay leave (to stretch my entitlements) and topped it up with Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay from Centrelink. This helped me cover a longer time away from work while still maintaining financial stability.
This kind of flexibility—taking leave in two parts rather than all at once—was incredibly valuable for my family. It allowed me to stay connected to my role, maintain continuity at work, and be present for those key moments in my child’s early years. If you’re planning leave, it’s worth exploring how you can stagger and combine entitlements to get the most out of them.
Want access to paid parental leave, flexibility, and long-term support? It starts with landing a NSW Government job. Download this free cover letter template to begin your application.
Frequently Asked Questions: Parental Leave, Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave in NSW
If you’re navigating leave for the first time, it can be tricky to know what applies to your situation—especially with so many different terms floating around like maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave. Here’s a quick overview:
What is maternity leave in NSW?
“Maternity leave” is often used to describe the time off a mother takes after giving birth. In the NSW Government, this is covered under the broader umbrella of paid parental leave, which applies to any parent with responsibility for the care of a child—whether through birth, adoption, surrogacy or legal placement. Eligible mothers can receive up to 14 weeks paid leave (plus a 2-week bonus in some cases), and they can combine this with other leave types or Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave.
What about paternity leave or father parental leave?
If you’re a father (or non-birth parent), you’re equally eligible to take time off through the NSW Government’s paid parental leave scheme, provided you have caring responsibility for the child. This is sometimes called paternity leave or father’s parental leave, and it can be claimed by birth partners, adoptive parents, or gaining parents in surrogacy arrangements. You’ll need to meet the same eligibility criteria, and the leave can be shared or taken concurrently with your partner in many cases.
Do maternity leave entitlements include Commonwealth support?
Yes. Whether you’re taking maternity leave or paternity leave, you can apply for Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay through Centrelink. This payment is available to both parents, provided you meet the work test and income test. Many public sector employees combine this payment with their NSW Government entitlements to extend their total leave period.
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Conclusion: Make the Most of What You’re Entitled To
Whether you’re preparing for maternity leave, planning to take paternity leave, or looking into government parental leave entitlements for the first time, there’s never been a better time to work in the NSW Government. The system has come a long way—offering more generous support, better flexibility, and the ability to combine state and federal benefits to give your family real time together.
By understanding how NSW paid parental leave and Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay work—and how they can be used together—you can make informed choices that maximise your time off without sacrificing financial security.
If you’re eligible for both schemes, you could be looking at up to 18 months or more of paid and unpaid time off, with the freedom to return to work in stages and share care responsibilities with your partner.
No matter what you call it—maternity leave, paternity leave, or father parental leave—what matters most is having the time and support to be there for your child. And thanks to these entitlements, that’s more possible than ever.
