DCA Submission: Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1973
DCA has made a submission in response to the review of the Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1973 (ML Act).
We believe this review of the ML Act is an important opportunity to ensure that Australian Public Service employees have access to leading practice parental leave. Having a leading practice scheme will help to maximise the benefits of parental leave for employees, families and for business.
Our submission and recommendations are based on two main leading practice principles: shared care (where employers provide the same parental leave provisions and access to paid parental leave to all new parents, irrespective of their gender identity and without reference to ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’ carer status); and flexible parental leave policies that empower parents to take paid parental leave in a manner that best suits their circumstances.