Keeping in touch days
Employees can go back to work for a ‘keeping in touch day’ during their unpaid parental leave.
On this page:
- Overview
- Types of work on keeping in touch days
- How keeping in touch days can be worked
- Payment for keeping in touch days
- Tools and resources
- Related information
Overview
Employees can agree with their employers to return to work for a ‘keeping in touch day’ during their unpaid parental leave.
A keeping in touch day is when an employee performs work to help with their return to work at the end of their parental leave.
Employees can take up to 10 keeping in touch days for each 12 month period of unpaid parental leave, by agreement with their employer. These days don’t impact the length of the unpaid parental leave period.
Employees and employers need to agree on the employee working on a keeping in touch day.
An employee doesn't have to use keeping in touch days if they don't want to.
Employees can accrue leave during a keeping in touch day. See Accruing and taking other leave during parental leave.
Types of work on keeping in touch days
Keeping in touch days are a good way for employees on parental leave to stay up to date with their workplace, refresh their skills to assist their return to work. The purpose of the work must be for the employee to keep in touch with their employment to help their eventual return.
Work on a keeping in touch day may include:
- refreshing skills
- participating in a planning day
- doing training, or
- attending a conference.
The work must only be for the purpose of keeping in touch.
How keeping in touch days can be worked
Keeping in touch days can be worked:
- as a part day
- 1 day at a time
- a few days at a time, or
- all at once.
Employees and employers have to agree to the keeping in touch days and when they will be worked.
Employees can’t access keeping in touch days within the first 14 days of the child’s birth or date of placement.
After the first 14 days, if the employee suggests or requests a keeping in touch day, the employer can agree to it.
After 42 days of the child’s birth or date of placement, the employer can suggest or request a keeping in touch day, and the employee can agree to it.
Payment for keeping in touch days
An employee gets their normal wage and accumulates leave entitlements for each full or part keeping in touch day.
Employees receiving the Australian Government’s Parental Leave Pay should consider how keeping in touch days may impact their payments. More information can be found on the Services Australia website.
Example: Payment for keeping in touch days to assist with a return to work
Georgia has taken 12 months unpaid leave to look after her newly adopted child. 3 months into her leave, Georgia’s workplace gets a new computer system and everyone needs training in how to use it.
To help Georgia's transition back to work after her leave, her manager Alex asks if she'd like to come in for a keeping in touch day. This means Georgia can do the training with everyone else. Georgia agrees and is paid her normal wage for coming to work.
To practice her new skills, Georgia asks Alex if she can come in for a keeping in touch day once a month for the rest of her leave. Alex agrees.
Source reference: Fair Work Act 2009 s.79A
