A teacher who is expecting a baby is trying to work out how much paid leave they can actually access and what their income will look like during the months they plan to be away from the classroom.
AU: Total PPL = Weeks taken × $1,004.70/week (2026-27) + 12% superannuation
US: Paid leave = State program weeks × Weekly salary × Wage replacement % (FMLA itself is unpaid)The Australian Government Parental Leave Pay scheme reached its full 26-week entitlement from 1 July 2026 and now includes a 12% superannuation contribution, paid by the ATO after the financial year ends. The US has no federal paid parental leave program — FMLA guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, with paid leave available only through employer policy or a small number of state programs.1 What this calculator does
Estimates paid parental leave income. For Australia, it calculates the total government Parental Leave Pay based on the number of weeks taken (up to the current 26-week entitlement), paid at the national minimum wage rate, plus the 12% superannuation contribution now paid on top. For the United States, it estimates paid leave from any state paid family leave program the user enters, alongside the unpaid but job-protected FMLA entitlement.
2 Formula & professional reasoning
AU: Gross PPL = Weeks × $1,004.70 (2026-27 weekly rate)
AU: Super on PPL = Gross PPL × 12%
US: State paid leave = State weeks × (Salary ÷ 52) × Wage replacement %
US: FMLA = up to 12 weeks unpaid, job-protected (federal, no payment)
Australia's Parental Leave Pay is a flat, minimum-wage-rate government payment rather than a percentage of the parent's usual salary — every eligible parent receives the same weekly rate regardless of what they earned before leave, which is why the calculation only needs the number of weeks taken, not the parent's salary. The addition of a 12% superannuation contribution from 1 July 2025 was a significant change, since previously time on government-funded parental leave created a gap in retirement savings that this calculator now reflects. The US has no equivalent federal payment — FMLA only guarantees the leave is unpaid but job-protected, so any actual income during leave depends entirely on employer policy or one of the relatively small number of state paid family and medical leave insurance programs, which is why those figures must be entered manually rather than assumed.
3 Worked examples
⚠️ Illustrative example only — not financial or professional advice.
Gross PPL: 26×1,004.70=$26,122.20 | Super: 26,122.20×0.12=$3,134.66Gross PPL: 14×1,004.70=$14,065.80 | Super: 14,065.80×0.12=$1,687.90Weekly salary: 64,000÷52=$1,230.77 | State pay: 8×1,230.77×0.6=$5,907.69 | Combined leave: 12+8=20 weeks4 Sanity check
5 Common errors
| Error | Cause | Consequence | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assuming AU Parental Leave Pay is based on usual salary | Confusing the government scheme with employer-paid parental leave, which often does pay full or partial salary | Overestimating income during the government-funded portion of leave | Remember the government PPL rate is a flat minimum-wage rate for everyone — check separately whether your school or employer offers additional paid leave on top of the government scheme. |
| Assuming FMLA in the US provides a paycheck | Confusing job protection with income replacement | A significant and often unexpected income gap during leave if no employer or state paid leave program applies | Confirm well before your leave starts whether your district or state offers any paid leave, and budget for the possibility that federal FMLA alone provides no income. |
| Not checking eligibility requirements before assuming full entitlement | Assuming automatic eligibility for either AU PPL or US FMLA | Applying for leave payments or protections that are then declined | AU: confirm the work and income tests with Services Australia before your due date. US: confirm you meet the 12-months and 1,250-hours FMLA thresholds with your employer’s HR department. |
| Forgetting that AU Parental Leave Pay is taxable income | Treating the gross weekly rate as the amount that will land in the bank account | Overestimating actual take-home income during leave | PPL is taxed at the recipient’s marginal rate like any other income — use the Take-Home Pay Calculator alongside this tool for a more accurate net figure. |
6 Reference & regulatory links
7 Professional workflow
Common tools used alongside this one: