The State of Parental Leave in New Zealand – 2024
Insights from 300+ employers, powered by the country’s only verified policy database.
What’s changed in 2024
What top employers are doing differently
What to do with your policy next
Key findings
What’s happening in 2024
Most employers held firm on their policies despite economic challenges.
82% of employers on the register made no change to their parental leave policy, and another 17% made improvements.
Employer-paid parental leave ranges from 1 to 26 weeks.
The average number of paid weeks offered:
Partners: 4 weeks
Primary carers: 21 week top-up or 11 weeks of paid leave
Two-thirds of employers make KiwiSaver contributions during parental leave.
A similar proportion of employers also pay annual leave at its full value.
The next frontier
2024 showed a shift toward more holistic, human parental leave.
Providing greater support for different paths to parenthood.
More employers are offering additional paid leave for family formation, premature birth and pregnancy loss.
Formalising return-to-work support so employees have a more consistent experience.
Transition support can include flexibility such as a phased return, coaching, employee resource groups and extra sick leave for new parents.
Recognising the significance of this milestone for the employee’s family
From gift packs to grandparent leave to financial coaching, more employers are celebrating expecting employees in meaningful ways.
What you can do next
Start building a better leave experience for your people and your business
Benchmark your policy
Use The New Zealand Parental Leave Register to see what your peers offer.
Estimate your costs
Try our Parental Leave Costing Tool to model different benefit options.
Talk to us
Book a free policy review to identify quick wins and long-term improvements.
Not sure where to start?
We’ve got you. Explore our free resources to help you design a right-sized parental leave policy and support your people through every step of the journey.