How do employee’s partners or fathers apply for paid parental leave?

 Once you have determined that you and your partner are eligible for parental leave, and that you would like to have all or part of your partner’s paid parental leave transferred to you, you need to apply to your employer for parental leave, and fill in the “Paid parental leave transfer to an employee” form, IR881 [external site].

How do I apply for parental leave from my employer?

You need to apply in writing to your employer at least three months before the expected date of birth or the day you assume care of a child (under 6 years) whom you intend to adopt. This letter needs to state:

1. That you are intending to take parental leave from your job
2. When you intend to take your parental leave (start and finish date, and total length of leave taken)
3. If you and your partner are eligible for paid parental leave, whether or not you intend to have paid parental leave transferred to you and how much leave will be transferred
4. A certificate confirming the date of birth or when you intend to assume care of the child. Partner’s/paternity leave can be taken at any time from 21 days before the expected date of birth or date you intend to assume care, up until:
   • 21 days after the actual date of delivery, or
   • the date the child is discharged from hospital, if the child is in hospital for more than three weeks following delivery.

How do I apply for paid parental leave to be transferred to me?

The application process has four steps:

1. The mother or primary caregivers (in the case of joint adoption) applying for paid parental leave need to fill in the application form. This is IR880 [external link] for employees, or IR888 [external link] for self-employed applicants.
   
   If the mother or primary caregiver is an employee, the employer will then need to fill in the employer section of the form.
2. 2. The applicant and their eligible partner must fill in the “Paid parental leave transfer to an employee” form IR881 [external link], to transfer part, or all of the mother’s entitlement to the partner.
   
   It is important to carefully consider how much leave is to be transferred and when you are going to take your leave because it is not easy to change dates once you have applied.
   
   All application forms are available on the Department of Labour website www.ers.dol.govt.nz.
3. Your employer must complete the employer section of the application form.
4. To complete the process, the following documents must be attached and sent to Inland Revenue:
   • The mother or primary care-giver’s completed paid parental leave application form IR880 or IR888 [external links]
   • Your completed paid parental leave transfer form IR881 [external link]
   • Evidence of pregnancy or evidence you have assumed the care of a child (under six) whom you intend to adopt.

Evidence of pregnancy:

A medical certificate, or a copy of the certificate, stating that the mother is pregnant and the expected date of delivery

Evidence of adoption:

• A letter from a social worker saying you are keeping, or will be keeping a child in your home with a view to adoption;
• A certified copy of an interim order of a court under Section 6(1)(b) of the Adoption Act 1955;
• A copy of a Statutory Declaration to the effect that you have assumed the care of a child whom you plan to adopt either on your own, or jointly with your spouse or partner.

Once your application has been processed, Inland Revenue will send you notification of whether or not you are entitled to paid parental leave, how much you will receive and when you will receive your payments.

This page was last updated on: 04-Jul-2007 and is current.