Part A : Background -working and having children in Australia = 13
CHAPTER 1: What is paid maternity leave? = 13
1.1 Introduction = 13
1.2 A work related entitlement = 13
1.3 Maternity leave and parental leave = 15
1.4 Funding paid maternity leave = 15
CHAPTER 2: Overview of current maternity leave arrangements = 16
2.1 Introduction = 16
2.2 Women, work and children in Australia = 16
2.3 Existing maternity leave arrangements = 17
2.4 Government payments to parents = 24
2.5 Lack of statistical information = 26
Part B - International context = 27
CHAPTER 3: International obligations = 27
3.1 Introduction = 27
3.2 Paid maternity leave in international instruments = 27
CHAPTER 4: International comparisons = 32
4.1 Introduction = 32
4.2 Social security and social insurance schemes = 32
4.3 Employer funded = 34
4.4 Combination of employer and social security = 34
4.5 Parental or family leave = 35
Part C - Objectives of paid maternity leave = 37
CHAPTER 5: Introduction . 37
CHAPTER 6: Objective � achieving equity = 39
6.1 Addressing workplace disadvantage = 39
6.2 Developing equitable workplaces = 41
6.3 Fairness for all employee = 42
CHAPTER 7: Objective -supporting women and families = 45
7.1 Introduction = 45
7.2 Health and welfare of mothers and newborn children = 45
7.3 Enabling women to combine work and family = 48
7.4 Direct cost of children = 49
7.5 Economic security for women = 49
CHAPTER 8: Objective - benefits to employers = 56
8.1 Commercial benefits of paid maternity leave = 56
CHAPTER 9: Objective - benefits to society = 59
9.1 Economic benefits to society = 59
9.2 Social benefits = 60
9.3 National fertility and population policy = 61
Part D - Implementing a paid maternity leave scheme = 65
CHAPTER 10: Scope and coverage of paid maternity leave = 65
10.1 Introduction = 65
10.2 Payment to women versus payment to both men and women = 65
10.3 Payment to natural parents versus payment to both natural and adoptive parents = 68
10.4 Payment to all women versus payment to women in employment = 68
CHAPTER 11: Structure of a paid maternity leave scheme = 71
11.1 Introduction = 71
11.2 Eligibility requirements = 71
11.3 Duration of payment = 72
11.4 Level of payment - fixed amount versus proportion of income = 73
11.5 Funding source = 74
CHAPTER 12: Options = 76
12.1 Introduction = 76
12.2 Option one: Employment based payment - government funded = 77
12.3 Option two: Direct payment from employer to employee - employer funded = 78
12.4 Option three: Universal payment - government funded = 79
12.5 Option four: Social insurance/superannuation style system - jointly funded = 80
12.6 Option five: Employer lev = 81
Appendices = 83
Appendix A: Technical Appendix = 83
A.1 Introduction = 83
A.2 Statistical overview = 83
A.3 Parental leave: industrial arrangements = 87
A.4 Government payments to parents = 106
Appendix B: International comparison of maternity leave benefits = 113
CHAPTER 1: What is paid maternity leave? = 13
1.1 Introduction = 13
1.2 A work related entitlement = 13
1.3 Maternity leave and parental leave = 15
1.4 Funding paid maternity leave = 15
CHAPTER 2: Overview of current maternity leave arrangements = 16
2.1 Introduction = 16
2.2 Women, work and children in Australia = 16
2.3 Existing maternity leave arrangements = 17
2.4 Government payments to parents = 24
2.5 Lack of statistical information = 26
Part B - International context = 27
CHAPTER 3: International obligations = 27
3.1 Introduction = 27
3.2 Paid maternity leave in international instruments = 27
CHAPTER 4: International comparisons = 32
4.1 Introduction = 32
4.2 Social security and social insurance schemes = 32
4.3 Employer funded = 34
4.4 Combination of employer and social security = 34
4.5 Parental or family leave = 35
Part C - Objectives of paid maternity leave = 37
CHAPTER 5: Introduction . 37
CHAPTER 6: Objective � achieving equity = 39
6.1 Addressing workplace disadvantage = 39
6.2 Developing equitable workplaces = 41
6.3 Fairness for all employee = 42
CHAPTER 7: Objective -supporting women and families = 45
7.1 Introduction = 45
7.2 Health and welfare of mothers and newborn children = 45
7.3 Enabling women to combine work and family = 48
7.4 Direct cost of children = 49
7.5 Economic security for women = 49
CHAPTER 8: Objective - benefits to employers = 56
8.1 Commercial benefits of paid maternity leave = 56
CHAPTER 9: Objective - benefits to society = 59
9.1 Economic benefits to society = 59
9.2 Social benefits = 60
9.3 National fertility and population policy = 61
Part D - Implementing a paid maternity leave scheme = 65
CHAPTER 10: Scope and coverage of paid maternity leave = 65
10.1 Introduction = 65
10.2 Payment to women versus payment to both men and women = 65
10.3 Payment to natural parents versus payment to both natural and adoptive parents = 68
10.4 Payment to all women versus payment to women in employment = 68
CHAPTER 11: Structure of a paid maternity leave scheme = 71
11.1 Introduction = 71
11.2 Eligibility requirements = 71
11.3 Duration of payment = 72
11.4 Level of payment - fixed amount versus proportion of income = 73
11.5 Funding source = 74
CHAPTER 12: Options = 76
12.1 Introduction = 76
12.2 Option one: Employment based payment - government funded = 77
12.3 Option two: Direct payment from employer to employee - employer funded = 78
12.4 Option three: Universal payment - government funded = 79
12.5 Option four: Social insurance/superannuation style system - jointly funded = 80
12.6 Option five: Employer lev = 81
Appendices = 83
Appendix A: Technical Appendix = 83
A.1 Introduction = 83
A.2 Statistical overview = 83
A.3 Parental leave: industrial arrangements = 87
A.4 Government payments to parents = 106
Appendix B: International comparison of maternity leave benefits = 113