New Zealand: Upcoming parental leave changes

Employers will need to be aware of the upcoming changes to parental leave which will take effect in mid-2018. The changes signal the Government's desire to match up against other OECD countries by extending the duration of paid parental leave from 18 weeks to an eventual 26 weeks.

The incremental transition will commence with children born from 1 July 2018, with parents being eligible for 22 weeks of paid leave. Paid parental leave will then extend to 26 weeks for parents with children born from 1 July 2020.

This is a significant change to the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act. Both employers and employees need to be aware of their rights and obligations in relation to parental leave.

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