Budget 2020 - PPL Change announced:

It was hidden but it was there - included in the Second Women's Economic Security Package was a change to the Work Test Period for Paid Parental Leave.

This change will ONLY  apply to babies born (or adopted) between 22 March 2020 and 31 March 2021.

Currently, you need to have worked for 330 hours in 10 of the 13 months before the birth (or adoption) of your child.

Now the Work Test Period has been extended from 13 to 20 months before the birth (or adoption) of your child. So if you have not been working for a few months, you can find a block of 10 months going back almost two years to see if you meet the requirement of 330 hours of work. 

This change is very important for many of you who stopped meeting the requirements for Paid Parental Leave as you haven't been able to work enough hours. You might now qualify even though you have lost your job or had a reduction in the number of hours you work.

Also remember that even if you are receiving Jobkeeper, this still counts towards the Work Test hours. Either count the number of hours that you are actually working, or if you employer or business is closed, use 7.6 hours per day, which ever is greater.  

This rule change also applies to the Dad and Partner Pay Work Test Period.