Paid Parental Leave- Workplace policy or Welfare payment?
Should women be paid their normal wage when taking parental leave? This could be a possibility if the Coalition is elected in September and Tony Abbott introduces his paid parental leave scheme. In order to fund the scheme Abbott has proposed to tax big business a 1.5 percent levy that will pay women their ordinary wage whilst looking after their newborn. Abbott’s plan has caused a divide in the feminist community as some have labelled the policy unfair due to it paying women different amounts for doing the same job, mothering a child. Whilst others believe that parental leave is a workplace right and women should receive their usual wage when taking parental leave, just like they would when accessing other types of leave like sick or annual leave.