Parental Leave complaints and enquiries

A complaint to the Human Rights Commission last year from a relief teacher unable to get Paid Parental Leave because of her job was one reason the Commission made submissions to government about the need for eligibility to paid parental leave to be broadened to cover workers who have more than one employer.

The teacher’s complaint was one of four about eligibility for Paid Parental Leave received from temporary or seasonal workers over the last 6 years.

The Commission received a total of 175 complaints and enquiries relating to parental leave between January 2002 and December 2008 - an average of 25 per year.

The greatest number (68) were about entitlements to parental leave, while there were 28 enquiries/complaints over pressure being put on employees who are pregnant or wanting parental leave. Jobs not held for employees returning from parental leave led to 19 enquiries/complaints, and men not having primary entitlement to parental leave led to 16 enquiries/complaints. There were 19 complaints regarding problems after returning from parental leave, 10 of them from men wanting flexible work arrangements.

Most of the enquiries and complaints were dealt with by the Commission's phone service, Infoline, which provided information and/or made external referrals. Some were progressed through the Commission's dispute resolution process.   Others were referred to Commission staff or Commissioners, who, if appropriate, raised the issues with appropriate Ministers, other politicians and government departments.