Keeping in touch days

Keeping in touch days allow an employee who is still on unpaid parental leave to go back to work for a few days.

Work on a keeping in touch day

This is a good way for employees who are caring for a baby or newly adopted child to stay up to date with their workplace, refresh their skills and assist their return to work.

Work on a keeping in touch day may include:

  • participating in a planning day
  • doing training or
  • attending a conference.

There are some rules about the type of work that can be done on these days. Visit the Services Australia external-icon.png website for more information.

Number of keeping in touch days

An employee on unpaid parental leave gets 10 keeping in touch days. This doesn't affect their unpaid parental leave entitlement.

If the employee extends their period of unpaid parental leave beyond 12 months, they can take an additional 10 days.

When keeping in touch days can be worked

Keeping in touch days can be worked:

  • as a part day
  • 1 day at a time
  • a few days at a time, or
  • all at once.

A keeping in touch day can be worked at least 42 days after the birth of a child or adoption. It can only be earlier if the employee requests it. If a request is made, a keeping in touch day can't be worked earlier than 14 days after the birth or adoption. The employer and employee have to agree to the keeping in touch days.

An employee doesn't have to use keeping in touch days if they don't wish to.

Payment for keeping in touch days

An employee gets their normal wage and accumulates leave entitlements for each keeping in touch day or part day.

Example: Payment for a keeping in touch day to assist with a return to work

Georgia has taken 12 months unpaid leave to look after her newly adopted son. During this time, her workplace gets a new computer system and everyone needs training in how to use it.

To help Georgia's transition back into work after her leave, her manager Alex asks if she'd like to come in for a keeping in touch day. This means Georgia can do the training with everyone else. Georgia agrees and is paid her normal wage for coming to work.

To practice her new skills, she asks Alex if she can come in for a keeping in touch day once a month for 6 months. Alex agrees.

Source reference: Fair Work Act 2009 s.79a external-icon.png

Tools and resources

Related information

Need help resolving workplace issues about pregnancy, parental leave and returning to work?

For employees:

If you’ve lost your job, contact the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) first if you think you were fired because of:

  • discrimination
  • a reason that is harsh, unjust or unreasonable
  • another protected right.

You have 21 days from the day you were fired to lodge an application with the Commission. Check the information at the Commission website to find out if you can apply for:

For employees and employers:

  • Learn about discrimination, bullying or sexual harassment in the workplace and what can be done to stop it.
  • If you think a mistake has been made about pay, parental leave or returning to work, see our Fixing a workplace problem section for practical advice on:
    • figuring out if a mistake has been made
    • talking to your employer or employee about fixing it
    • getting help from us if you still can’t resolve it.

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