Get prepared to go back

Finding child care options

You may want to think about finding child care options when you return to work.

Transitioning back to work if you get Parental Leave Pay

If you return to work before the end of your Paid Parental Leave period, this period will end and you won’t be paid for any remaining days. You can choose to transfer the unused part to another eligible person before you return to work.

You can get Flexible Paid Parental Leave days before or after you return to work. But you can only get them on days that you’re not on leave or working.

Find out more about returning to work if you get Parental Leave Pay on the Services Australia website.

Confirming your start date

When you decide to return to work, you’ll need to speak with your employer to confirm your start date and work arrangements. When you’re ready to return to work, you may ask for flexible hours.

Find out about flexible working arrangements and returning to work from parental leave on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

What to expect

Returning to work after taking time off to care for a new family member can be daunting. It’s also an opportunity for you to:

• reconnect with your job and colleagues
• ease financial pressure
• add variety to your daily routine.

You may want to think about:

• setting up family routines
• finding child care options
• coming up with strategies to manage any stress.

Find out about returning to work on the Raising Children Network website.

Managing stress

Returning to work might cause you some stress. Too much stress can be overwhelming, making it hard to cope. Ask for help from family, friends and healthcare providers when you need it.

Find out about managing stress at work on the Heads up website.