43.2.1 These Parental leave provisions will come into effect for any employee who commences parental leave from date of certification of this Agreement.
43.2.2 An employee is entitled to a period of up to 104 weeks unpaid parental leave in respect of the:
(a) birth of a child to the employee or the employee’s partner; or
(b) adoption of a child who is not the birth child or the stepchild of the employee or the employee’s partner; is under the age of five (5); and has not lived continuously with the employee for six (6) months or longer.
43.2.3 An employee identified as the primary care giver of a child and who has completed twelve months continuous service at the University shall be entitled to 14 weeks paid parental leave from date of certification of this agreement. Paid parental leave will form part of the 104 week entitlement provided in subclause 43.2.2.
43.2.4 The employee and the Head may agree to the 14 weeks paid parental leave being taken as 28 weeks on half pay. All leave accruals and superannuation contributions during the period of paid parental leave at half pay will be on a pro rata basis. Where a member of staff wishes to maintain superannuation contributions at a notional full-time rate, they will be responsible for making the necessary arrangements and for maintaining the notional full-time rate for both the employee’s and the employer’s contribution.
43.2.5 A pregnant employee can commence the period of parental leave any time up to 20 weeks before the expected date of birth. Any other primary care giver can commence the period of paid parental leave from the birth date or for the purposes of adoption from the placement of the child but no later than 14 weeks after the birth or placement of the child.
43.2.6 Paid parental leave for primary care purposes for any one birth or adoption shall not exceed 14 weeks except as provided at sub-clause 43.7. The 14 week paid period must commence in accordance with sub-clause 43.2.5 and conclude not more than 14 weeks after the date of birth. The conclusion of the paid leave period may be extended up to a further 22 weeks in accordance with subclause 43.7. The employee and the Head are to arrange the exact timing and duration of the leave.
43.2.7 The paid and unpaid parental leave entitlement up to a maximum of 104 weeks may be shared between partners assuming the role of primary care giver.
43.2.8 Parental leave may be taken concurrently by an employee and his or her partner for a maximum of two (2) weeks with the approval of the employer.
43.2.9 Where less than the standard parental leave is taken the unused portion of the period of paid or unpaid leave cannot be preserved in any way.
43.2.10 An employee may elect to receive pay in advance for the period of paid parental leave at the time the parental leave commences, or may elect to be paid the entitlement on a fortnightly basis over the period of the paid parental leave.
43.2.11 An employee is eligible, without resuming duty, for subsequent periods of parental leave in accordance with the provisions of this clause. For an employee to access a subsequent return to work bonus as per subclause 43.7, the employee is required to have returned to work for a minimum period of 12 months in accordance with subclause 43.7.4.
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