Kiwis / aussies - parental leave policies?

[buzzybee]

I live and work in New Zealand (just returned from UK) and have recently started new job with one of the Big4 accounting firms. This firm claims to be "people friendly" but their parental leave policy consists of no financial support at all while on leave and then an lump sum incentive payment of 2 weeks pay when you return followed by another 2 week lump sum payment if you are still there 6 months later. Does anyone agree that there is nothing supportive about this at all? It seems to be all about what's best for the firm. Very interested to know what other parental leave policies are out there amongst larger corporates "down under". Thanks.

[buzzybee]

There are no legal requirements for paid maternity/parental leave in NZ - just a requirement to hold your job open for a year. The Govt has just introduced a maternity allowance paid through the welfare system but it is really only a token. I have a friend working for a law firm that gets (I think) 3 months paid leave and I'm pretty sure Govt agencies pay 6 weeks for either parent. My former NZ employer (Ghosty - I am a kiwi, lived in London for 2.5 years, returned here in Dec) also paid 3 months. So there is some good practice out there. What gets me is that they are pushing thier policy as a positive in a bid to be named "Employer of Choice" (a sort of competition run by I'm not sure who). OK - its better that the statutory minimum (i.e. nothing) but...

[kiwishell]

Hi there all you ex-pats, kiwis, aussies and the like. I am also a kiwi living in the UK, although not in London - got out of there and moved to Oxford. Have just been back for a month to the wonderful weather and miss the brightness.

I know that it is all pretty bad in NZ with regards to maternity pay (in fact non existant if I remember correctly) and I think that you will probably find that you have a pretty good deal - even if it is all about the company rather than the person.

How about contacting your local Citizens Advise Bureau?

My Husband has just got home and seems to think that warm fuzzy Helen Clark has brought something in recently that does get some sort of pay. I would check it out for sure!

Good luck - and hey, shame about the Americas Cup, but keep the weather up!

[mollipops]

Hi buzzybee, I'm in Australia and used to work for NAB - their policy was 6 weeks pay upfront, then up to 12 months unpaid leave, then you get another payment of 6 weeks when (if!) you return...i think that's right, it was 6 years ago when I had dd! Two weeks is a bit stingy.

There is now a govt payment you can get here (maternity allowance) but we weren't eligible for it when ds was born 4 yrs ago because he was born in March and it is worked out on your tax-year income. So if he had been born in July, we would have been A$900 better off!!! Sux.

[slug]

I'm an ex-pat Kiwi from the Wellington area (Hutt Valley) currently chained to dreary old London. How I envy you.

I can't, in all honesty, remember what parental leave provisions were like as I left before having children even occured to me. Could you check with the department of Social Security or Trade and Industry what the legal minimum is?

[Ghosty]

Oh ... I am in Auckland ... too far to start a 'New Zealand Meet-up' thread for the moment then?!
Are you a kiwi come home or have you emigrated ?(or immigrated - depending on how you look at it!)

[buzzybee]

Ghosty - I'm in Wellington. I think I have noted one or two before, although come to think of it (I was in the UK the last time I Mumsnetted) they may have been ex-pat kiwis. Any other kiwis reading this please raise your metaphoric hands!

[Ghosty]

Ooh ooh buzzybee (v. appropriate nickname btw) where are you? I have not seen another NZ mumsnetter before ... hooray ... I am not alone ...!!
Can't help you on the leave policies though as I am a SAHM and have not worked in NZ. All I do know is that the holiday entitlement that my DH gets is pretty poor (15 days and 10 if those HAVE to be taken at Xmas). His company were however very 'compassionate' about extra time off that he had to take when I had a miscarriage in November.
Sorry that I can't help but I am sure there is info somewhere on some websites somewhere ... have a surf ...