Determining a customer’s Paid Parental Leave (PPL) period start date for children born or entering care before 1 July 2023 007-07030070

PPL can be paid for up to 18 weeks (90 Payable days) to the primary carer of a PPL child.

It is comprised of a continuous PPL period which can be up to 12 weeks (60 Payable days).

Note: for children born/adopted before 1 July 2020, the PPL period was paid for up to 18 weeks (90 payable weekdays),

The primary claimant is required to nominate a start date for the PPL period when they claim PPL.

The PPL period start date is determined once proof of birth/adoption and all required documents are provided.

Is the customer claiming PPL as the primary claimant?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 2

Secondary and tertiary claimants are not able to nominate a PPL period start date.

For full PPL period transfers, the customer’s PPL period will be the primary claimant’s PPL period start date.

For partial PPL transfers, the customer’s PPL period start date will be the day after the primary claimant’s PPL period end date.

See Eligibility for Parental Leave Pay (PPL) as a secondary or tertiary claimant for children born or entering care before 1 July 2023.

When claiming PPL, primary claimants are required to provide a nominated start date.

If the customer is not eligible for a PPL period, but is eligible for Flexible PPL days, this start date is used to determine the first date for any connected Flexible PPL days they have requested. See Claiming and managing Flexible Paid Parental Leave (PPL) days for children born or entering care before 1 July 2023. A customer may request:

• their child’s date of birth/entry into care
• the date their post-birth claim is lodged, or
• another future date between their child’s date of birth/entry into care and the child’s first birthday/anniversary of entry into care

If the customer wishes to change their nominated start date, see Customer notifies a change of circumstances for Parental Leave Pay (PPL).

The customer’s PPL period date may not be the same as their nominated start date, depending on when they make an effective claim and lodge proof of birth/entry into care for the child.

Has the customer provided a nominated start date in their claim for PPL?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 4

The customer’s PPL period cannot be assessed without a PPL period.

If the child’s birth or adoption is before 1 July 2020, their claim will be not effective. If their child’s date of birth or adoption is on or after 1 July 2020:

• their PPL period will be not effective
• they may still be eligible for Flexible PPL days

Note: if a PPL period is not effective, any Flexible PPL days the customer chose to connect to it cannot be paid. The claim status will be PPL/ASS-AFN (awaiting Flexible PPL days nomination). The customer will need to provide a PPL period start date or provide dates for their Flexible PPL days. If the customer provides a nominated start date, the not effective claim must be reindexed from the date the nominated start date was provided.

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, the customer’s PPL period start date will be determined once they make an effective claim and lodge proof of birth/entry into care. Advise the customer that if they do not do this within 28 days of the child’s birth/arrival in care, their PPL start date will be the later of date that they provide this information or a future nominated start date

Note: customers can be paid from date of birth/entry to care if they:

• meet the extended work test (due to COVID-19), or
• received COVID-19 Disaster Payment (paid by Services Australia on or after 3 June 2021) during their 10 month qualifying period.

This is even if proof of birth or claim is provided outside 28 days of the event.

These customers will have the code ‘28D - Backdating the start date’ displayed on the Paid Parental Leave Exemption (P1EX) screen. This code is system generated for advice only, it cannot be applied by a Service Officer.

See Paid Parental Leave scheme Work Test.

Claims where initial eligibility criteria will finalise with a claim status of:

• PPL/ASS-PCB (Pending proof of birth/entry into care)
• PPL/ASS-ASD (awaiting nominated start date)
• PPL/ASS-AFN (awaiting Flexible PPL days nomination). Note: Benefit status line will display as PPL/CUR-CZR

For claims that are pending proof of birth/entry into care, the customer’s PPL period start date will be determined once provided. Where proof of birth/entry into care is provided more than 28 days after the child’s birth/entry into care, the customer’s PPL period start date cannot be earlier than the date that proof of birth has been provided.

Generally customers cannot change their nominated start date to a date before they requested the change. However, the customer can nominate a PPL period start date on or after the child’s birth/entry into care if:

• the request is made less than 28 days after the child’s birth/entry into care and the customer has lodged an effective claim and provided proof of birth/entry into care, or
• the customer meets the extended work test or received COVID-19 Disaster Payment within their 10 month qualifying period

If the customer wishes to change their nominated start date, see Customer notifies a change of circumstances for Parental Leave Pay (PPL).

Note: a primary claimant can nominate a PPL period start date on or after their child’s date of birth/adoption if they:

• meet the extended work test, or
• received COVID-19 Disaster Payment (paid by Services Australia on or after 3 June 2021) during their 10 month qualifying period

This applies even if they lodge their claim more than 28 days after the date of birth or adoption.

These customers will have the code ‘28D - Backdating the start date’ displayed on the Paid Parental Leave Exemption (P1EX) screen. This code is system generated for advice only, it cannot be applied by a Service Officer.

If they or their partner are receiving an income support payment (ISP) or Family Tax Benefit, they must be advised of potential overpayments to these payments. ISP overpayments that occur due to payment of PPL arrears, may be offset against the PPL arrears amount.