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Parental leave form mistake could cost thousands
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Parents advised to submit applications soon
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EXPLORE FURTHER: Superannuation taxation gets an update with Albo hinting at modifications
A mother from Australia has advised parents to submit their claims for paid parental leave benefits as soon as possible following her near miss with a $15,000 payout from Centrelink.
A Newcastle woman who has two children remembered that her application was rejected when she first tried to enroll in the program after having her eldest child about three years ago.
The 26-year-old and her spouse were counting on the funds but felt crushed upon discovering she didn’t qualify.
Only after several weeks did she become aware of the typical error she had committed on her application.
She mistakenly checked a box to apply for both paid parental leave and the family tax benefit — options she did not qualify for.
The confusion led to Lexi’s application being rejected, with written notification stating that her spouse had an income that was deemed excessively high.
“We were relying on that money; we expected it to arrive, and frankly, being turned down left us spiraling out of control,” she shared on TikTok.
Essentially, this incorrect option is frequently selected.
I find it hard to believe how many individuals are wandering about under the impression that they aren’t qualified for this funding when in fact they are.
The second time around, her application got approval.
“When everything had transpired and once I received approval, my child was approximately five months old,” she explained.
Yahoo
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‘I received retroactive payment starting from the date of my application. As a result, I still had 18 weeks remaining.’
The sum claimed amounted to $15,000 – money which Lexi might not have obtained at all if she had abandoned her denied claim.
The funds created a significant impact on her household finances, even though they had planned to manage solely with her spouse’s earnings.
When Lexi applied for paid parental leave after having her second child last year, she couldn’t help but recall the mistake from 2022.
The video she uploaded last week has garnered over 100,000 views since then.
The parent of two children encouraged qualified mothers and fathers to submit their applications well ahead of time to ensure they have enough leeway for corrections and to prevent potential monetary difficulties.
The parent of two children encouraged qualified mothers and fathers to submit their applications well ahead of time to provide an opportunity for correcting any mistakes and prevent potential monetary difficulties.
“If your initial attempt is unsuccessful, schedule an appointment at your nearest Centrelink office,” Lexi advised.
‘I scheduled an appointment to ensure that I completed all aspects of my application accurately, and although this required additional time from me, it guaranteed that everything was done right.’
Services Australia enables parents to file claims before their child is born.
Applications may be submitted up to three months prior to the expected due date of the baby.
This procedure can be carried out online and necessitates a Centrelink account connected to myGov.
Parents who qualify can apply for the Parental Leave Pay government benefit to have paid time off to look after their new baby or newly adopted child.
The payments are determined by the lowest hourly pay rate, amounting to $916 each week over a period of 22 weeks.
Starting from July 1st of this year, the period will be extended to 24 weeks and will include superannuation.
On that same date in 2026, the payments will last 26 weeks.
Candidates need to satisfy income requirements, employment criteria, and residency regulations to qualify. Nonetheless, Centrelink suggested expectant parents submit an application and let experts assess their eligibility.
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