Accruing and taking other leave during parental leave

Employees can use other paid leave entitlements, such as annual leave, while they’re on parental leave. They can also accrue certain types of leave during parental leave in some circumstances.

On this page:

Building up other leave during parental leave

Employees don’t usually build up (or accrue) paid leave while they’re on unpaid parental leave.

However, employees will continue to accrue some types of paid leave during:

  • a period of employer funded paid parental leave
  • a keeping in touch day
  • a period of paid leave (such as annual leave) that they take during their period of unpaid parental leave.

Types of leave that accrue in these circumstances include annual leave and personal and carer’s leave.

Building up leave while on paid parental leave

Employees may build up paid leave while on employer-funded paid parental leave.

Employees don’t build up paid leave while receiving the Australian Government Parental Leave Pay (Parental Leave Pay) if they are on unpaid leave from their employer.

Long service leave

Long service leave entitlements may build up while on unpaid parental leave depending on the rules set by the state or territory.

Find your local long service leave agency to see what applies on our Long service leave page.

Taking other leave during parental leave

During unpaid parental leave, employees can take:

An employee can also take compassionate leave if they have a miscarriage or their current spouse or de facto partner has a miscarriage.

If an employee is taking paid annual leave during their unpaid parental leave and a public holiday falls during this period, the employee isn’t paid for the public holiday.

Taking other leave while receiving Parental Leave Pay

Employees eligible for Parental Leave Pay can receive it before, after or at the same time as taking other leave entitlements, including:

  • annual leave
  • long service leave
  • unpaid parental leave.

Learn more about Parental Leave Pay at Services Australia’s website:

Example: Taking annual leave during unpaid parental leave 

Maggie is about to take 12 months unpaid parental leave. She wants to take some annual leave in the later months of her leave so she has some income during this time.

Maggie agrees with her employer to take 4 weeks annual leave in her ninth month of unpaid parental leave. These 4 weeks don't extend Maggie's unpaid parental leave period. Instead, they will run at the same time.

Maggie will accrue annual leave and sick or carer’s leave during the 4 week annual leave period. This is because paid leave accrues during an annual leave period.

There's a public holiday during Maggie's annual leave. She won't be on annual leave for the public holiday and won't get paid for it. She agrees with her employer to extend her period of annual leave by 1 day, so she still gets paid for 4 weeks of leave.

What leave can’t be taken during parental leave

During unpaid parental leave, employees can’t take:

Source reference: Fair Work Act 2009 s.79

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