The Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave (CPPL) Scheme will commence on 1 January 2011. The CPPL Scheme will provide eligible parents with payments at the rate of the National Minimum Wage for a maximum of 18 weeks.

To apply for CPPL, NSW public sector employees must lodge a claim with the Family Assistance Office (FAO).

NSW public sector employees can lodge their claims from 1 October 2010 for children with an expected date of birth, or date of placement for adoption, on or after 1 January 2011.

From 1 January 2011, eligible NSW public sector employees will receive CPPL payments directly from the FAO.

From 1 July 2011, NSW public sector agencies are required to assume the role of paymaster for eligible employees receiving CPPL payments. This means that eligible NSW public sector employees will receive CPPL payments from their employer, as they would their usual salary.

The attached ‘Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave: A guide for the NSW public sector’ outlines the key employer obligations under the CPPL Scheme as well as addressing some issues related to the interaction of the Scheme with parental leave entitlements in the NSW public sector.

This guide will assist NSW public sector agencies to identify the changes necessary to payroll systems and related business processes in order for them to assume the paymaster function under the CPPL Scheme. It will also assist NSW public sector employees to understand their entitlements and responsibilities under the Scheme.

This guide supplements the information available from the Commonwealth Government via the Family Assistance Office website and the Centrelink website.

If you have any questions regarding the implementation of CPPL paymaster requirements in your agency, please contact the Public Sector Workforce Branch of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet on (02) 9228 4444.

Brendan O’Reilly
Director General