Teacher maternity and parental leave in Australia: what each state pays in 2026

Employer-paid parental leave for teachers by state

This is the leave your education department pays for at your normal salary. It is separate from the government's Parental Leave Pay, and you can usually get both. The figures are for the birth parent or primary carer in government schools.

Government Paid Parental Leave: 26 weeks from 1 July 2026

The Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave scheme is run by Services Australia. For babies born or adopted on or after 1 July 2026 it pays 26 weeks (130 days) of Parental Leave Pay. Births between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026 got 24 weeks. The pay is linked to the national minimum wage and is reported as about $1,005 a week for 2026-27 ($200.94 a day). Check the current rate with Services Australia before you budget, because that figure was still being confirmed.

• Super is now paid on PPL. For children born or adopted from 1 July 2025, the ATO pays 12% of your Parental Leave Pay into your super fund as an annual lump sum after the end of the financial year. You don't have to claim it.
• Income test: your individual adjusted taxable income must be $186,487 or less in the financial year before the birth or claim (2025-26 for most 2026-27 births). If you're over, the $386,525 family test can apply.
• Work test: you must have worked enough in the period before the birth. The long-standing rule is 10 of the 13 months before birth and at least 330 hours. Confirm the current test with Services Australia.
• Partner days: a share of the 26 weeks is reported as reserved for each parent in a couple ('use it or lose it'). Check how many days apply to your claim.

What it adds up to: a worked example

Half pay: stretching paid leave

Most systems let you take paid parental leave at half pay for twice as long. VIC allows its 16 weeks at full or half pay. WA lets you double the period on half pay (Award cl 39(4)(d)). This lowers your fortnightly income but keeps you on the payroll longer, which can help with continuity of super contributions and leave accrual. Check how half-pay weeks count for leave accrual in your state before you choose.

Unpaid parental leave and keeping your job

After paid leave runs out you can usually stay on unpaid parental leave and come back to your position or a comparable one. The total period varies:

• NSW: up to 52 weeks unpaid, with paid leave usable within 24 months.
• WA: 52 weeks in total (14 paid, 38 unpaid), plus up to 8 weeks' concurrent unpaid leave for the other parent.
• SA: paid and unpaid leave can't exceed 104 weeks (2 years) in total; paid leave must end within that 2-year window.
• ACT: up to 52 weeks of birth leave in total.
• NT: up to 3 years' total leave.
• QLD: permanent staff can also apply for unpaid family responsibility leave of up to 7 years.

Casual and relief teachers

Casuals generally don't get employer-paid parental leave, but there are exceptions. NSW casuals with 40 weeks' service get a maternity payment equal to 14 weeks' pay. WA casuals employed regularly for 12 months are 'eligible casuals' and get unpaid parental leave. Casual teachers can usually still qualify for the government's 26 weeks of PPL if they meet the work test.

Super while you're on leave

Your employer pays super on paid parental leave in most agreements. On government PPL, the ATO now pays 12% for you. Unpaid weeks usually earn no super, and that gap compounds. WA is an exception worth knowing: its 2023 General Agreement pays super on unpaid parental leave for up to 24 weeks. Some couples use spouse contributions or contribution splitting to even things out. Ask your fund what it offers, or see teacher super explained.