Parental Leave Pay (PPL) customer, for a child born before 1 July 2023, returns to work 007-05040040
Expand allPPL/DAP details for customers with children born or entering care before 1 July 2023 only.
This document outlines what happens to Parental Leave Pay (PPL) when a customer returns to work. for a PPL claim for a child born before 1 July 2023.
For a PPL claim for a child born on or after 1 July 2023, a customer is able to return to work without losing eligibility. See Claiming and managing Paid Parental Leave (PPL) days for children born or entering care on or after 1 July 2023.
On this page:
How returning to work or working on a day affects PPL
Determining if a customer has returned to work or is working on a day
How to record a return to work or work performed, including when an exception applies
Return to work requirements for a permissible purpose
How returning to work or working on a day affects PPL
Table 1
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Item |
Description |
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1 |
Customer returned to work before claiming PPL + Read more ... Generally, primary claimants must claim PPL before they return to work. This is due to the backdating rules for the PPL period. Note: different backdating rules apply for customers that meet the extended work test. These customers can:
Claim lodged within 28 days of the child’s birth or adoption If a customer that has returned to work before claiming PPL, lodges an effective claim within 28 days of the child’s birth or adoption, they will:
Claim lodged more than 28 days after the child’s birth or adoption If a customer that has returned to work before claiming PPL lodges an effective claim more than 28 days after the child’s birth or adoption, they will:
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2 |
Customer returns to work during their PPL period + Read more ... To be eligible for the maximum PPL period, a primary claimant must not return to work from the date their child was born or adopted until the end of the PPL period. If a customer returns to work before the end of their PPL period:
The Resources page contains an example of the impact of a return to work on Flexible PPL days. Customers can transfer their unused PPL period after their return to work date to another carer. See Item 3. For a child born or adopted before 1 July 2020, the PPL period will cancel at the claim level when the customer returned to work before the end of the PPL period. |
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3 |
Transfer some or all of the PPL period after the return to work date + Read more ... Primary claimants can:
For this person to be eligible as a secondary claimant they must be eligible for PPL and have primary care of the child from the transfer date to the end of the PPL period. See Eligibility for Parental Leave Pay (PPL) as a secondary or tertiary claimant for children born or entering care before 1 July 2023. To record a transfer of some or all of the PPL period to another person, see Customer notifies a change of circumstances for Parental Leave Pay (PPL). |
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4 |
Return to work or working on a Flexible PPL day + Read more ... Customers cannot work on days they want to access Flexible PPL. They must declare that on the date they are claiming Flexible PPL they did not work or will not work, unless for an allowable reason. When return to work or working is recorded on a Flexible PPL day:
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Determining if a customer has returned to work or is working on a day
Table 2
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Step |
Action |
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1 |
Primary carer participating in paid work + Read more ... In most cases, PPL cannot be paid on days when the customer is working. Customers should claim PPL before they have returned to work. It can be paid on days when the customer is on paid or unpaid leave. Customers cannot receive JobKeeper Payment and PPL at the same time. However, a customer can receive JobKeeper Payment after the birth of a child (or recently adopted child) and before their Nominated Start Date (NSD), only where they have not returned to work. Note: customers who received the COVID-19 Disaster Payment in the period between the birth of the child and starting PPL are not considered to have returned to work, as they have not performed paid work. For the purposes of PPL a customer is working on a day if they perform paid work except where the work is for a permissible purpose or an allowable exception reason, including those who have relinquished the child as part of an adoption or surrogacy arrangement. A return to work can be notified up to 30 days in advance by the customer or their employer. If the customer is advising they have performed work and:
Note: if the employer is advising the return to work, see Employer notifies a change in circumstances for Parental Leave Pay (PPL). To correct a previously advised return to work date, see Customer notifies a change in circumstances for Parental Leave Pay (PPL). |
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2 |
Care of the child was lost without legal authority + Read more ...
If the customer meets these requirements, the return to work is for an allowable reason and an exception can be recorded for the period the child is not in their care. Note: it is not a requirement that customers provide evidence to support their return to work reason. However, in limited circumstances Service Officers can request evidence if they are not satisfied the customer meets the requirements for this exception reason. To request evidence if required use the
Has the customer met the exception requirements?
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3 |
Birth mother is claiming PPL for a stillborn child or after the child has died + Read more ... Primary claimants can perform work with no effect on their ongoing PPL entitlement. The introduction of the ‘Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits)’ meant customers could not receive JobKeeper Payment and PPL for the same period. There have not been any changes to the PPL rules regarding return to work for bereavement cases. The Smart Centres Families Bereavement and DOP Team (DOP region code) process PPL bereavement claims. See Death of a family assistance or Paid Parental Leave scheme child. DOP staff needing to code a return to work exception, go to Table 3. |
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4 |
Returning to work due to their newborn child remaining in hospital + Read more ... A birth mother’s (primary claimant) return to work can be disregarded if it occurs within the period that starts 14 days after the child is born and ends on the day the child is discharged from hospital. If the birth mother returns to work within 14 days following the birth of the child they do not meet the requirements for an exception due to an allowable reason. For all other claimants, including secondary claimant's and adoptive parents a return to work can be disregarded if it occurs within the period that starts on the day the child is born and ends on the day the child is discharged from hospital. For both primary and secondary claimants to continue to receive PPL after returning to work in such cases, the child must be required to remain in hospital, or be hospitalised immediately after birth, for one or more of the following reasons:
Note: it is not a requirement that customers provide evidence to support their return to work reason. However, in limited circumstances Service Officers can request evidence if they are not satisfied the customer meets the requirements for this exception reason. To request evidence if required:
Has the customer met the exception requirements?
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5 |
Customer is returning to work due to a summons or other compulsory process + Read more ... A customer is not deemed to have returned to work for PPL purposes, if it is:
This applies to primary, secondary and tertiary claimants. Note: it is not a requirement that customers provide evidence to support their return to work reason. However, in limited circumstances Service Officers can request evidence if they are not satisfied the customer meets the requirements for this exception reason. To request evidence if required:
Has the customer met the exception requirements?
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6 |
Compulsorily recalled to duty as an Australian Defence Force (ADF) member or law enforcement officer + Read more ... Defence force members and law enforcement officers compulsorily recalled to duty are not considered to have returned to work. Note: it is not a requirement that customers provide evidence to support their return to work reason. However, in limited circumstances Service Officers can request evidence if they are not satisfied the customer meets the requirements for this exception reason. To request evidence if required:
Has the customer met the exception requirements?
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7 |
Health professionals, emergency services or essential workers responding to a state, territory or national emergency + Read more ... Return to work rules were updated to include an additional exception for health professionals, emergency services or essential workers who have returned to work on or after 12 March 2020 in response to a state, territory or national emergency (including COVID-19). Customers who return to work can continue to receive PPL if they:
To determine if the customer meets the exception, ask the customer:
Note: if the customer was scheduled to return to work at that time anyway, they do not meet the exception. Only customers who have returned to work in response to an emergency are covered by this exception. Note: it is not a requirement that customers provide evidence to support their return to work reason. However, in limited circumstances Service Officers can request evidence if they are not satisfied the customer meets the requirements for this exception reason. Evidence can include a letter from their employer stating the customer returned to work because they are an essential worker responding to a state, territory or national emergency. To request evidence if required:
Has the customer met the exception requirements?
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8 |
Return to work is not for an allowable reason + Read more ... Where the customer’s return to work or work performed is not for an allowable reason it cannot be disregarded. If the return to work date is before the end of the customer’s PPL period, they may be able to transfer the remaining days in the PPL period to another person. See Eligibility for Parental Leave Pay (PPL) as a secondary or tertiary claimant for children born or entering care before 1 July 2023 If the customer has Flexible PPL days scheduled on dates after the return to work date, these days must be checked. Customers working on a day they have claimed Flexible PPL and the work is not for a permissible purpose or allowable exception reason, the day will need to be rejected. See Claiming and managing Flexible PPL days for children born or entering care before 1 July 2023. They will not automatically reject when the return to work is recorded. Go to Table 3. |
> Request Documents in Process DirectHow to record a return to work or work performed, including when an exception applies
Table 3
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Step |
Action |
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1 |
Customer has returned to work + Read more ... There are different processes to follow depending on whether the customer is advising a return to work or performing work:
To view the customer’s PPL period and connected Flexible PPL days: In Process Direct
In Customer First
Has it been determined the return to work or work performed was for an allowable exception reason?
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2 |
Customer is/was working for an allowable reason + Read more ... Return to work is before the end of the customer’s PPL period and any connected Flexible PPL days An exception must be recorded if the work performed for an allowable exception reason is before the end of the customer’s PPL period or connected Flexible PPL days. To record the exception, go to Step 3. A customer must tell the agency if they are no longer eligible for an allowable RTW reason and they continue working. For example, if they continue working after:
If a customer is advising they are no longer eligible for an allowable RTW reason and they are either continuing to work or no longer working, see Customer notifies a change of circumstances for Parental Leave Pay (PPL). Work performed is on a Flexible PPL day that is not connected to the PPL period If the customer is performing work for an allowable reason on a date they are claiming a Flexible PPL day that is not connected to the PPL period, an exception does not need to be recorded in the PPL Work Details guided procedure. The customer declaration allows the customer to declare they are performing work for an allowable reason. If the customer is advising they have performed work for an allowable exception reason on a Flexible PPL day that is not connected to their PPL period:
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3 |
Record exception + Read more ... Customer’s PPL claim has not been finalised In Process Direct:
In Customer First:
Customer’s PPL claim has been finalised In Customer First:
The PPL Work Details guided procedure can only apply exceptions from 12 March 2020. Tell the customer:
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4 |
Record return to work or work performed + Read more ... Customer has returned to work during PPL period, connected Flexible PPL days or on a claimed Flexible PPL day To record the customer has returned to work for the first time since the child’s birth or adoption, if the customer's: PPL claim has not been finalised: In Process Direct:
In Customer First:
Once the PPL Work Details workflow is in the new claim:
PPL claim has been finalised: In Customer First:
In Process Direct:
Note: if the RTW coding raises an employer debt and error E123AS Must enter PPL debt action code for Customer occurs see workaround in Table 3, Step 1 in Customer notifies a change of circumstances for Parental Leave Pay (PPL). Customer advises they have or will perform work, or is advising they will perform work on a claimed Flexible PPL day Customers cannot work on days they want to access Flexible PPL. Exceptions apply for work performed for an allowable exception reason or a permissible purpose, including Keeping in Touch (KIT) days. Note: Keeping In Touch (KIT) days are considered as working for a permissible purpose and can be accessed on a connected or scheduled Flexible PPL day provided the customer has not returned to work. Once they have returned to work they can no longer access KIT, even if all 10 days were not accessed. If the customer has claimed Flexible PPL on a date and they are advising they worked or are now intending to work on that date, and the work was not performed for a permissible purpose or allowable exception reason, it must be rejected or withdrawn. Days that are rejected or withdrawn:
If the customer has been paid Flexible PPL for this date, they may have been overpaid. To reject or withdraw a Flexible PPL day, see Claiming and managing Flexible PPL days for children born or entering care before 1 July 2023. |
Return to work requirements for a permissible purpose
Table 4
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Step |
Action |
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1 |
Is the customer is self-employed? + Read more ...
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2 |
Self-employed customer + Read more ... Where a customer undertakes paid work for a permissible purpose the customer is regarded not to have returned to work and can continue to receive PPL. They are not required to advise the agency or keep track of the days they worked for their business for a permissible purpose. A self-employed person may oversee their business and perform administrative tasks on an ad hoc basis. Permissible activities include (but not limited to):
A self-employed person who is actively engaged in running or maintaining the daily operations of the business during their PPL period is regarded as having returned to work. Has the customer participated in paid work for a permissible purpose?
Procedure ends here. |
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3 |
Employed customer and paid work for a permissible purpose + Read more ... For an employed customer, paid work may be for a permissible purpose when the customer engages in a 'keeping in touch' (KIT) day. An employee can access up to 10 KIT days from the time they become their child's primary carer until they have returned to work. KIT days can be accessed during the PPL period or Flexible PPL days. An employee is regarded as 'keeping in touch' if they participate in paid work for the purpose of assisting their return to the workplace. The Resources page contains questions and answers about the 'keeping in touch' provision. KIT days cannot be taken:
Both the customer and the employer must consent to the customer performing work for the employer on a KIT day. Is the customer a teacher?
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4 |
KIT days for teachers + Read more ... Is the customer returning to work before the end of school holidays or on a pupil free day (i.e. before the children return to school)? See the Resources page for examples.
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5 |
Return to work involves attending meetings, planning sessions, training or conferences + Read more ... The customer is not considered to have returned to work if:
Note: if there is a disagreement between the customer and the employer about the KIT days, it may be the result of a misunderstanding of the rules in relation to KIT days. Refer such cases to the Families and Childcare Level 2 Policy Helpdesk via the enquiry form located in the Resources page. Does the customer meet the above requirements?
Procedure ends here. |
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6 |
Return to work involves customer's normal duties + Read more ... The customer is not considered to have returned to work if:
If a customer performed work while receiving JobKeeper Payment, they are considered to have returned to work. There have not been any changes how a return to work is assessed. Note: if there is a disagreement between the customer and the employer about the KIT days, it may be the result of a misunderstanding of the rules in relation to KIT days. Refer such cases to the Families and Childcare Level 2 Policy Helpdesk via the enquiry form located on the Resources page. Does the customer meet the above requirements?
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