Reassessments for Parental Leave Pay (PPL) 007-05040000

A reassessment of PPL can occur prior to the commencement of payment and can be notified by the customer or employer.

When a change in circumstance occurs and affects the customer's eligibility or payment of PPL the customer will be notified in writing. If relevant, the employer will be contacted to advise their employee's change in circumstance.

A reassessment of PPL can occur as a result of a change in circumstances or review of decision.

A customer who has claimed, is eligible for, or is receiving family assistance or PPL must tell the agency about any change of circumstance that may impact their eligibility. This advice may trigger a reassessment of the claim to determine if the customer is eligible for payment.

Customers can advise a change in circumstances either by going online, calling or by visiting a Centrelink Service Centre.

Changes a customer may advise:

• address/contact details
• bank account
• child’s care details
• tax rate changes
• claim choice
• resignation / termination of employment
• date the child enters or is going to enter care
• marital status
• income details
• overseas departures, including temporary and permanent absences
• For a PPL claim for a child born or adopted before 1 July 2023:
• nominated start date for PPL
• return to work, or performing work on a date they have claimed Flexible PPL
• managing Flexible PPL days, including changing claimed dates
• For a PPL claim for a child born or adopted on or after 1 July 2023:
• performing work on a date they have claimed a PPL day
• managing PPL days, including changing claimed dates
• for Approval Givers only, give or remove approval to claim for Approval Seekers or give or remove approval to share PPL days to approved claimants

If the changes result in the customer losing eligibility for PPL, including at the claim or component level a reassessment of their eligibility for PPL and Family Tax Benefit (FTB) should occur.

A reassessment may result in the customer having been overpaid PPL.

Note: PPL can only be reassessed for customers with the PPL benefit status of CUR/CZR or ASS. If the customer’s PPL has cancelled, a refresh activity (RSH coded on PPL Claim Action (P1CA) screen) should be coded instead of a manual reassessment. Complete the RSH activity in Customer First.

An employer who provides PPL has an obligation to tell the agency about a change in their employee’s circumstances during their employer paid period. This can include:

• return to work
• termination, or
• change in payment destination

A change in circumstances can be actioned by the employer by logging into Business Hub. Users should select the option ‘Providing Parental Leave Pay for Existing Claimants’, search for the employee and action the change in the Existing Claimant’s Details workflow.

If the employer cannot access Business hub, the Paid Parental Leave Employer Processing Team (PPLEPT) can action the change.

Employers can tell the agency about a change in their employee’s circumstances for up to 30 days in advance.

The employer also has an obligation to tell the agency about a change in their circumstances. This can include:

• trading that is about to or has ceased
• the business is to be sold, transferred or merged with another business
• pay cycle has changed
• an external Administrator, Controlling trustee or debt agreement are appointed

Employers can tell the agency about a change in their circumstances up to 14 days in advance.

If the customer has been granted an ISP since their payments have commenced, a PPL reassessment will occur and the paymaster role will be automatically transferred from the employer to Services Australia.

Once the agency has been appointed as the paymaster, future reassessments will not change the paymaster role, unless the customer makes a subsequent request to change the paymaster role and the customer is no longer receiving an ISP.

This only applies if the PPL customer is granted an ISP. If the customer’s partner is granted an ISP, the paymaster role is not changed.

When a reassessment activity results in the payment of PPL arrears for a past period, and an overpayment of PPL or an income support payment for the same period, these may be automatically offset against each other. This will occur so a payment does not issue and subsequently raise a debt for the same day. For more information, see Parental Leave Pay (PPL) debt raising, debt offsetting and recovery.