New parents to receive 2 years of parental leave
New mums and dads will soon be able to get up to two years of shared parental leave and still get their old jobs back.
Under new employment standards, both parents will now get the right to 12 months’ unpaid parental leave, as long as they don’t take it at the same time.
From January 2010, employers will have to hold their jobs open and will not be able to refuse requests.
The Rudd Government’s new National Employment Standards, released yesterday, guarantee 10 basic rights to all workers.
“These new national employment standards are a real safety net for working Australians which cannot be stripped away – fairer for workers, simpler for employers,” Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said.
Unions applauded the changes, but employers said they would be hit with extra costs if workers rushed to take up the new benefits. (news)
