Parental leave payments to go up

Parental leave payments will increase for eligible employees and self-employed people from July 1.

Labour minister Simon Bridges announced today that maximum payments will go up from $488.17 to $504.10 gross per week.

The minimum payment for self-employed people will also increase from $137.17 to $142.50 gross per week.

The increase reflects the 3.3 per cent increase in the average wage over the past year, Mr Bridges said.

Eligible parents are entitled to up to 14 weeks paid leave at a rate calculated from their average weekly earnings.

Under changes announced in Budget 2014, the entitlement will increase to 18 weeks in two stages over the next two years.

It will also be expanded to include caregivers other than parents, for example, permanent guardians, and to people in less-regular work or who recently changed jobs.

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