During parental leave, if eligible, you are paid by the IRD.
This duration of parental leave payments will increase from the current
18 weeks to 22 weeks from 1 July 2018, with a further increase to 26
weeks from 1 July 2020.
While on parental leave you are able to work for a period for your employer referred to as 'Keeping in touch days'. If you work more than 40 hours during your parental leave or do any work within the first 28 days after the birth of your child, then you’re considered to be back at work and this means that your parental leave payments will cease.
The new provisions allow for additional hours to be worked to take
account of the additional weeks of paid leave. These have been increased
proportionally in line with the increased period. From 1 July 2018, when
the entitlement is 22 weeks, an employee is able to work up to 52 hours
without losing their payment entitlement; and from 1 July 2020, an
employee will be able to work up to 64 hours without losing their
entitlement.
Keeping in touch days are acceptable only with the consent of both the Employer and Employee.