Maternity leave in Australia is typically paid through the government-funded Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme. Under this scheme, eligible employees receive payment at the national minimum wage for a period of up to 20 weeks, which is 100 payable days.
The national minimum wage is set by the Fair Work Commission and is subject to change each year. The current payment for Parental Leave Pay is $162.49 a day before tax, or $812.45 per 5 day week. The rate of Parental Leave Pay usually changes every July.
Therefore, if you qualify for maternity leave under the PPL scheme, you would receive payments equivalent to the national minimum wage for up to 18 – 20 weeks, subject to applicable taxes.
It’s important to note that specific details and payment rates for maternity leave in Australia may have changed since my last update. I recommend checking the Australian government’s official websites, such as the Fair Work Ombudsman (www.fairwork.gov.au) or the Department of Human Services (www.humanservices.gov.au), for the most up-to-date and accurate information on maternity leave payments in Australia.