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A Time to Value

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FOREWORD

SUMMARY
OF HREOC's PREFERRED MODEL FOR A NATIONAL PAID MATERNITY LEAVE SCHEME

LIST
OF RECOMMENDATIONS

PART
A: BACKGROUND

1.
INTRODUCTION

• 1.1
  Background
• 1.2
  Methodology
• 1.3
  The community debate
  • 1.3.1
    Introduction
  • 1.3.2
    Submissions
  • 1.3.3 Consultations
  • 1.3.4 Public opinion
• 1.4
  About this paper

PART
B: THE IMPERATIVE

2.
A CHANGING AUSTRALIA: THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL SCHEME OF PAID MATERNITY
LEAVE IN 2002

• 2.1
  Introduction
• 2.2
  History
• 2.3
  The purpose of paid maternity leave
• 2.4
  Economic and social change in a generation
  • 2.4.1
    Introduction
  • 2.4.2 Women's labour force participation
    rates
  • 2.4.3 Education and training opportunities
  • 2.4.4 Changes in the nature of work
  • 2.4.5 Home ownership
  • 2.4.6 Social and cultural change
  • 2.4.7 Work and family
• 2.5
  The consequences of change for work and family
  • 2.5.1
    Introduction
  • 2.5.2 The need for two income
    families
  • 2.5.3 Older parenting ages
  • 2.5.4
    Family size continues to drop
  • 2.5.5 Women returning to
    work within a year of the birth of a child
• 2.6
  Conclusion

3.
ADEQUACY OF EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS

• 3.1
  Introduction3.2
  Existing unpaid maternity leave arrangements
  • 3.2.1
    Introduction
  • 3.2.2 Adequacy of current
    unpaid maternity leave arrangements
• 3.3
  Existing paid maternity leave arrangements
  • 3.3.1
    Introduction
  • 3.3.2 Adequacy of existing
    paid maternity leave arrangements
  • 3.3.3 Adequacy of
    paid maternity leave provisions in awards and agreements
  • 3.3.4 Adequacy of paid
    maternity leave provisions through company policies
  • 3.3.5 Duration of paid maternity
    leave
  • 3.3.6 Conclusion
• 3.4
  Government payments to parents
  • 3.4.1
    Current government assistance
  • 3.4.2 Community views on government
    payments to parents
  • 3.4.3 The Baby Bonus
  • 3.4.4 Calls for a review of government
    assistance3.5
    Conclusion

PART
C: THE BENEFITS

4.
OVERVIEW

5.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF MOTHERS, BABIES AND THEIR FAMILIES

• 5.1
  Introduction
• 5.2
  Health and wellbeing of mothers
  • 5.2.1
    Introduction
  • 5.2.2 Physical health
  • 5.2.3 Physical effects of
    early return to work
  • 5.2.4 Fatigue
  • 5.2.5 Functionality
  • 5.2.6 Method of birth
  • 5.2.7 Mental health
  • 5.2.8 Breastfeeding
• 5.3
  Health and wellbeing of babies
  • 5.3.1
    Breastfeeding
  • 5.3.2 Bonding
• 5.4
  Emotional wellbeing for the father5.5
  Conclusion

6.
ECONOMIC SECURITY

• 6.1
  Introduction
• 6.2
  Financial support at the time of childbirth
• 6.3
  Income replacement
• 6.4
  The costs of children
• 6.5
  Women's lifetime earnings
• 6.6
  Superannuation and retirement incomes for women
• 6.7
  Labour force attachment
• 6.8
  Conclusion

7.
ADDRESSING WORKPLACE DISADVANTAGE

• 7.1
  Introduction
• 7.2
  Sex discrimination in employment
• 7.3
  Women's workplace disadvantage
• 7.4
  Fairness for all employees
• 7.5
  Balancing work and family responsibilities
• 7.6
  Conclusion

8.
EQUALITY

• 8.1
  Introduction
• 8.2
  Paid maternity leave as an equality issue
• 8.3
  Arguments against equality objectives for paid maternity leave
• 8.4
  Conclusion

9.
SOCIAL BENEFITS

• 9.1
  Introduction
• 9.2
  Valuing motherhood and children
• 9.3
  Valuing the dual role of women in society
• 9.4
  Cultural change in the workplace
• 9.5
  Fertility
  • 9.5.1
    Introduction
  • 9.5.2 Current trends in fertility
  • 9.5.3 The effects of declining
    fertility
  • 9.5.4 Paid maternity leave and the
    fertility rate9.6
    Conclusion

10.
BENEFITS TO EMPLOYERS AND THE ECONOMY

• 10.1
  Introduction
• 10.2
  Benefits to individual employers
• 10.3
  Benefits to specific industries
• 10.4
  Economic benefits to the broader economy
  • 10.4.1
    Introduction
  • 10.4.2 Maintaining
    a high quality and competitive labour force
  • 10.4.3 Attracting skilled
    labour
  • 10.4.4 Maximising the
    return on education and training
• 10.5
  Conclusion

11.
OUTSTANDING ISSUES

• 11.1
  Introduction
• 11.2
  Paid maternity leave as one of a "suite of measures"
• 11.3
  "Men's work" and "women's work"
  • 11.3.1
    Introduction
  • 11.3.2 Valuing motherhood
    and women's unpaid work
  • 11.3.3 Men's work and paternity
    leave
• 11.4
  Developing family friendly workplaces
  • 11.4.1
    Introduction
  • 11.4.2 Flexible work arrangements
  • 11.4.3 Family friendly working
    hours
  • 11.4.4 Further research
    on work and family issues
• 11.5
  Return to work issues
  • 11.5.1
    Introduction
  • 11.5.2 Right to return to
    full time or part time work
  • 11.5.3 Extended maternity
    leave and family leave
• 11.6
  Childcare
  • 11.6.1
    Introduction
  • 11.6.2 Cost and availability
    of childcare
  • 11.6.3 Work based childcare
• 11.7
  Tax credits and income splitting
• 11.8
  Research on fertility choices

PART
D: THE PROPOSAL

12.
OVERVIEW

• 12.1
  Introduction12.2
  Options for a national scheme
  • 12.2.1
    Introduction
  • 12.2.2 The case for the status quo
  • 12.2.3 Alternative approaches to a government
    funded national paid maternity leave scheme12.3
    Summary of preferred scheme

13.
FUNDING

• 13.1
  Introduction
• 13.2
  International standards and practices
• 13.3
  Government funding
  • 13.3.1
    Introduction
  • 13.3.2 A social benefit
  • 13.3.3 Ensuring access and spreading
    costs
  • 13.3.4 Source of government funding
• 13.4
  Direct employer funding
  • 13.4.1
    Introduction
  • 13.4.2 Employer funding would increase
    discrimination
  • 13.4.3 Business cannot afford to pay
  • 13.4.4 As a social benefit, employers
    should not pay
  • 13.4.5 Childbearing as a personal choice
  • 13.4.6 Employer funding would affect
    industries disproportionately
  • 13.4.7 Particular concerns for small
    business
• 13.5
  An employer levy
• 13.6
  HREOC's position

14.
COVERAGE

• 14.1
  Introduction
• 14.2
  Payment to women versus payment to both men and women
  • 14.2.1
    Introduction
  • 14.2.2 International standards and practices
  • 14.2.3 Payment to women
  • 14.2.4
    Payment to primary caregiver
  • 14.2.5 HREOC's position
• 14.3
  Supporting parents' leave
• 14.4
  Women in paid work versus all women
  • 14.4.1
    Introduction
  • 14.4.2 International standards and practices
  • 14.4.3 Payment for all women
  • 14.4.4 Women in paid work
  • 14.4.5
    Dual track
  • 14.4.6 HREOC's position
• 14.5
  Adoptive parents
  • 14.5.1
    Introduction
  • 14.5.2 Equity for adoptive parents and
    adopted children
  • 14.5.3
    Health and wellbeing of adoptive children
  • 14.5.4 Government requirements for adoption
  • 14.5.5 Age of adopted child
  • 14.5.6 HREOC's position

15.
ELIGIBILITY

• 15.1
  Introduction
• 15.2
  International standards and practices
  • 15.2.1
    Maternity Protection Convention
  • 15.2.2 United Kingdom
  • 15.2.3 New Zealand
• 15.3
  Eligibility criteria for unpaid leave and paid leave
• 15.4
  Forms of work
• 15.5
  Length of service
  • 15.5.1
    Introduction
  • 15.5.2 Twelve months with a single
    employer
  • 15.5.3 A portable length of service
    requirement
  • 15.5.4 A length of service requirement
    within a longer period of time
  • 15.5.5 No minimum
  • 15.5.6 HREOC's position
• 15.6
  Means testing

16.
DURATION

• 16.1
  Introduction
• 16.2
  International standards and practices
• 16.3
  Twelve weeks/three months
• 16.4
  Fourteen weeks
• 16.5
  Sixteen weeks
• 16.6
  Eighteen weeks
• 16.7
  Six months
• 16.8
  Twelve months
• 16.9
  HREOC's position

17.
PAYMENT LEVEL

• 17.1
  Introduction
• 17.2
  International standards and practices
  • 17.2.1
    Maternity Protection Convention
  • 17.2.2 United Kingdom
  • 17.2.3 New Zealand
• 17.3
  Structure of the payment level
  • 17.3.1
    Introduction
  • 17.3.2 Capping
  • 17.3.3 Flat or variable rate
  • 17.3.4 A floor for payment
  • 17.3.5 Assessing previous earnings
• 17.4
  Amount of payment
  • 17.4.1
    Submissions on the Maternity Protection Convention
  • 17.4.2 Social security payment
  • 17.4.3 Federal Minimum Wage
  • 17.4.4 Average Weekly Earnings
  • 17.4.5 Full wage replacement
  • 17.4.6 Levels of income replacement
    of various caps
• 17.5
  A two tiered system
• 17.6
  HREOC's position

18.
PAYMENT MECHANISM

• 18.1
  Introduction
• 18.2
  International practices
• 18.3
  Direct and indirect payment
  • 18.3.1
    Direct payment from the Government to mothers
  • 18.3.2
    Indirect payment from Government through employer to mothers
  • 18.3.3 HREOC's position
• 18.4
  Timing of payment
  • 18.4.1
    Payment at time of leave
  • 18.4.2 Ability to alter timing of maternity
    leave payment

19.
ROLE OF EMPLOYERS

• 19.1
  Introduction
• 19.2
  International practices
• 19.3
  Existing provisions
  • 19.3.1
    Introduction
  • 19.3.2 Possible reduction in existing
    provisions
  • 19.3.3 Possible exclusion of current
    recipients from a government scheme
  • 19.3.4 Public servants
• 19.4
  Employer provided top ups
• 19.5
  Administration

20.
INTERACTION WITH THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SYSTEM

• 20.1
  Introduction
• 20.2
  An industrial claim for top up
• 20.3
  Quarantining paid maternity leave
• 20.4
  HREOC's position

21.
INTERACTION WITH EXISTING GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS

• 21.1
  Introduction
• 21.2
  International standards and practices
  • 21.2.1
    Maternity Protection Convention
  • 21.2.2 Legislative provisions
• 21.3
  Existing government payments
  • 21.3.1
    Income support payments
  • 21.3.2 Family assistance payments
• 21.4
  HREOC's position

22.
DATA COLLECTION AND REVIEW OF THE SCHEME

• 22.1
  Introduction
• 22.2
  Statistics on maternity leave
• 22.3
  HREOC's position
• 22.4
  Review of a national paid maternity leave scheme
• 22.5
  HREOC's position

APPENDIX
- NATSEM COSTING

LIST
OF SUBMISSIONS

LIST
OF CONSULTATIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

---

© Human Rights
and Equal Opportunity Commission 2002

ISBN 0 642 26983 1

This work is copyright.
Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968,
no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission
from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Requests and
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to the:

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