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Going back to work after having a baby

Get financial help with childcare and other costs when you're back in work, and find out about the rules around returning to work and breaks for breastfeeding.

Returning to work

You have to give 21 days notice in writing:

  • if you decide to return to work early
  • before you return to work — even if you’re returning on your agreed start date.

Returning to work when your parental leave ends

Your boss needs to provide a place for you to breastfeed or express milk. Breastfeeding breaks are taken on top of your rest and meal breaks.

Breaks and facilities for breastfeeding

If your job isn’t held for you while you’re on parental leave

In some situations your employer doesn’t have to hold your job for you — for example if you’re made redundant. You have rights when this happens.

Protecting your job during pregnancy or parental leave

If you want to keep in touch with your employer while you’re on parental leave

If your employer agrees, you can choose to do up to a total of 52 hours work without this counting as a return to work and without your payments stopping. These are called ‘keeping in touch days’. Your child must be at least 4 weeks old before you can start.

Keeping in touch days

Financial help

Best Start is a payment to help NZ families with the costs in a child’s early years. Families can get $60 a week for each child due on or after 1 July 2018. The payment lasts for 1 to 3 years.

Best Start tax credit

Working for Families tax credits help pay for childcare while you’re working. How much money you get depends on what you earn and how many kids you have.

Working for Families tax credits

Childcare Subsidy is money for pre-school childcare costs. It’s usually for up to 9 hours but it can be for 50 hours a week.

Help with childcare costs

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