Avoiding the parent trap

Employees with children obviously have a lot of demands placed upon them in their everyday lives. For a lot of parents, the stress of juggling their home-life requirements and work-related requirements may be a very stressful. Some employers may provide more assistance for their employees to accommodate their duties as a parent. Although it must be stressed that employers are required by legislation to provide leeway for their employees in order for them to successfully balance their lives for their children and work.

All employees who have completed one years' work with a business are eligible to take a period of unpaid leave for each child born or adopted. The right also applies to single mothers and fathers who are independently responsible for a child. The employee is able to start their parental leave as soon as a child is born or when the employee has completed their required one-year of service.

The amount of time allowed for employees to take their leave is 13 weeks per child and, for employees with children with a disability, this stretches to 18 weeks. During this period of leave, an employee is still employed by their employer and the same terms and conditions of their employment will still apply. On the employee's return to work, the employee is ensured the right to return to the same job as before or, if not in the practical circumstance, a job similar that has equal or better status, terms and conditions as the previous job.

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