WA Teacher Parental Leave 2026: 14 Weeks Paid Plus 26 PPL

On this page (6 sections)

Paid leave at a glance
What the Department of Education provides
Government Parental Leave Pay: 26 weeks from 1 July 2026
Full pay or half pay?
Coming back to work
FAQs

The short answer

Western Australian public school teachers with 12 months' continuous public sector service get 52 weeks of parental leave, of which 14 weeks are paid (or 28 weeks at half pay). Partners get 1 week paid. For births from 1 July 2026, add 26 weeks of government Parental Leave Pay with 12% super from the ATO.

WA's parental leave rules come from the Teachers Award and the 2023 General Agreement. The Department pays 14 weeks at full pay, which you can stretch to 28 weeks at half pay, and it pays super on up to 24 weeks of the unpaid part. Government Parental Leave Pay from Services Australia comes on top.

WA paid parental leave at a glance

52 weeks' parental leave, 14 weeks paid, after 12 months' continuous public sector service. Paid leave can be taken at half pay over double the time. Partners get up to 1 week paid. Super is paid on unpaid parental leave for up to 24 weeks. Casuals get unpaid leave only.

Salary	Full pay	Gross value	Half pay	Gross value
2.1 ($88,178)	14 weeks	$23,740	28 weeks	$23,740
2.9 ($127,737)	14 weeks	$34,391	28 weeks	$34,391

Employer-paid leave only, gross, at current rates. Government Parental Leave Pay (26 weeks for births from 1 July 2026) is paid on top by Services Australia, subject to its work and income tests.

What the Department of Education provides

WA teacher parental leave entitlements (2023 General Agreement and Teachers Award)

Entitlement	Detail
Total parental leave	52 weeks
Paid parental leave (primary carer)	14 weeks full pay, or 28 weeks at half pay
Eligibility for paid leave	12 months' continuous public sector service
Partner (non-primary carer) leave	Up to 1 week paid
Super on unpaid parental leave	Paid for up to 24 weeks
Casual relief teachers	Unpaid parental leave only

Sources: Teachers Award cl 39 and 2023 General Agreement cl 28 and 39.

The 12-month test counts public sector service, so time with another WA government agency can help you qualify. Other leave that can matter around a birth: 3 days' compassionate leave for early pregnancy loss and 3 days' foster carer's leave a year.

Government Parental Leave Pay: 26 weeks from 1 July 2026

For babies born or adopted from 1 July 2026, Parental Leave Pay runs for 130 days (26 weeks), up from 24 weeks for 2025-26 births. It's reported at about $200.94 a day, roughly $26,122 in total before tax. The income test is $186,487 individual or $386,525 family, based on 2025-26 income, which classroom teachers pass easily. Some days are reserved for each parent in a couple, so check the split with Services Australia.

Worked example

A Level 2.5 teacher ($110,925) having a baby after 1 July 2026

Department paid leave: 14 weeks (7 fortnights x $4,253): about $29,769
Government PPL: 130 days at a reported $200.94: about $26,122
ATO super on PPL at 12%: about $3,135
Department super on up to 24 weeks unpaid leave: Yes

Paid support over about 40 weeks about $55,891 before tax, plus super

WA fortnightly pay = annual x 12/313. PPL rate from a June 2026 Services Australia factsheet excerpt, not re-checked. Both payments are taxable.

Free calculator

Parental leave pay calculator

Combine 14 weeks of WA paid leave (or 28 at half pay) with 26 weeks of PPL and see your income week by week.

Open the calculator

Full pay or half pay?

Total Department pay is the same either way.

14 weeks at full pay

Bigger fortnightly income early on
Leaves room to take PPL straight after
Good if you plan to return sooner

28 weeks at half pay

Same total pay, spread twice as long
Good if you want a longer paid stretch before PPL

Coming back to work

Talk to your principal early about part-time or job-share options. Paid leave generally counts as service for your annual increment on the WA pay scale, but check how a long unpaid stretch affects your anniversary date. Our returning after parental leave guide has a checklist, and part-time teaching and job share covers the pay maths.

Frequently asked questions

How much paid parental leave do WA teachers get?

14 weeks at full pay, or 28 weeks at half pay, for teachers with 12 months' continuous public sector service. It sits within a total of 52 weeks of parental leave.

Can I get government PPL as well as WA Department leave?

Yes. Government Parental Leave Pay is paid on top of employer leave. For babies born from 1 July 2026 it runs for 26 weeks, with 12% super paid by the ATO.

Do WA partners get paid parental leave?

Yes. Non-primary carers get up to 1 week of paid partner leave from the Department, and they may also claim their own reserved days of government Parental Leave Pay.

Do casual relief teachers in WA get paid parental leave?

No. Casual relief teachers get unpaid parental leave under the Teachers Award. They may still qualify for government Parental Leave Pay if they meet the Services Australia work test.

Is super paid while I'm on parental leave in WA?

Yes. Super is paid on Department paid leave as normal, on up to 24 weeks of unpaid parental leave under the 2023 General Agreement, and the ATO adds 12% on government Parental Leave Pay.

Can I take WA paid parental leave at half pay?

Yes. You can take the 14 weeks as 28 weeks at half pay, giving you the same total money over a longer period.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026

About this page

Written and fact-checked by the TeacherPay AU editorial team against the enterprise agreements, awards and official pages listed in the sources. It is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it, usually within a day. See our editorial policy and how we calculate.