Latest news with #paidparentalleave
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Aussie mum's warning after $15,000 Centrelink mistake
An Aussie mum has urged parents to apply for paid parental benefits early after she almost missed out on a $15,000 payment from Centrelink. Newcastle mother-of-two Lexi recalled how her claim was denied when she initially applied for the scheme following the birth of her first child three years ago. The 26-year-old and her husband had been relying on the money and was devastated to learn she was ineligible. It wasn't until weeks later that she realised that she made a common mistake on her application. She erroneously ticked a box applying for both paid parental leave and the family tax benefit – which she was not eligible for. The mix up meant that Lexi's application was denied and was advised in writing that her husband earned too much money. 'We were counting on that money, we knew it was coming, and honestly to be denied it, we were just in a spiral,' she explained on TikTok. 'Basically, this one wrong box gets ticked all the time. 'I can't imagine the number of people that are going around out there thinking that they're not eligible for this money when they actually were.' The second time she applied, she was approved. 'By the time that all happened and by the time I got approved, my son was about five months at that point,' she told Yahoo. 'I did get back pay from a certain date of my application. So I still ended up with 18 weeks.' The value of the claim was $15,000 – an amount Lexi may have never received had she given up on her rejected claim. The money made a 'big difference' in her household, despite having budgeted to live off her husband's income. Lexi was reminded of the 2022 blunder when she applied for paid parental leave following the birth of second child last year. Her video posted last week has since attracted more than 100,000 views. The mother-of-two urged eligible parents to apply early to allow time to correct any errors and avoid financial hardship. The mother-of-two urged eligible parents to apply early to allow time to correct any errors and avoid financial hardship. 'If you are denied the first time, make an appointment at your local Centrelink,' Lexi said. 'I made the appointment to make sure that I did everything correctly with my application, and while it did take a little bit more of my time, it meant that everything was correct.' Services Australia allows parents to submit claims pre-birth. Applications can be made up to three months before the baby is due. The process can be completed online and requires a Centrelink account linked to myGov. Eligible parents can claim the Parental Leave Pay government benefit to take time off to care for their newborn or recently adopted child. The payments are based on the minimum wage, equating to $916 per week for 22 weeks. From July 1 of this year, the duration will increase to 24 weeks and includes superannuation. On that same date in 2026, the payments will last 26 weeks. Applicants must meet income tests, work tests and residence rules to be eligible. However, Centrelink advised parents-to-be make an application and allow professionals to determine their eligibility.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama State Board of Education to adopt policy for paid parental leave at June meeting
State Superintendent Eric Mackey speaking to board members at the May 8 work session in the Gordon Pearsons Building in Montgomery, Alabama. Mackey and the board discussed rules for a paid parental leave policy, which passed the Alabama Legislature in April.(Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama State Board of Education will adopt temporary rules for paid parental leave for public education employees at its June meeting, State Superintendent Eric Mackey said Thursday. The move comes a few weeks after Gov. Kay Ivey signed a law extending the benefit to the workers. SB 199, sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, goes into effect on July 1. Mackey said the board will have to adopt an emergency rule in order to approve temporary rules on the paid leave because of the turnaround for the effective date of the benefit. Once the board adopts temporary rules, there will be a 35-day public comment period before the permanent rules are adopted in July. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'All that's to say there could be changes between the two, so during the public comment period, obviously,' Mackey said Thursday during the board's work session. The law allows women who give birth; have a stillbirth or experience a miscarriage after 12 weeks to receive eight weeks of paid leave. It also allows the father to take two weeks of paid leave under those circumstances. If a couple adopts a child under three years old, either parent may have eight weeks of leave if they are both eligible employees. The benefit can be taken within a year of the event. Mackey said, though, that a parent that gives birth or any other related event on June 30 will not be eligible for the benefit. Also, employees must be employed for one year before they are eligible for paid leave. 'Let's say somebody has a baby July 1 this year. They qualify if they have been employed the last year,' he said. Mackey also said that the benefit can only apply once every 12 months. However, the benefit can be taken at any time within those 12 months after the event. A teacher who gives birth during the summer while she is not working can take eight weeks off when school starts in August, Mackey said. 'They could say, start their leave (when) their first day back to school is August 8. They can wait and start their leave on August 8 and then take their leave, you know, for eight weeks,' he said. The program did not receive supplemental funding for fiscal year 2025, so Mackey said the individual school districts would have to pay employees that take the leave between July 1 and Sept. 30. Once the FY 2026 Education Trust Fund budget takes effect on Oct. 1, the state will reimburse the districts at $120 per day. He said the Legislature likely underestimated the number of related events that happen in a year. The line item for the benefit received $9.6 million, but Mackey said it is likely closer to a $12 million expense. 'So $9.6 (million) covered what was originally written, but it got changed, when they put in the father's leave for fathers' two weeks, which was not in the calculation,' Mackey said.. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
