One Catholic diocese has increased parental leave entitlements, benefiting thousands of teachers and support staff. Find out what’s changing – and how the union aims to build on it next year.
The IEU congratulates Catholic Education Canberra-Goulburn (CECG) on its announcement of a new, improved policy for parental leave for all its employees.
The IEU expects more than 3000 teachers and support staff will benefit from new provisions that will apply to births and adoptions after 1 January 2027.
CECG parental leave entitlements are already greater than those applying to teachers and support staff in the 10 other Catholic dioceses in NSW and the ACT – and will further improve from 2027.
What will change?
From 1 January 2027, all eligible employees who give birth to or adopt a child will be entitled to:
- 24 weeks of paid parental leave, regardless of whether they are the initial primary caregiver or non-initial primary caregiver
- removal of the distinction between primary and secondary caregivers (that is, both parents are eligible for 24 weeks of paid parental leave, even if they are not a primary caregiver).
- greater flexibility, allowing both parents to take leave at the same time or at different times within 24 months of birth or adoption.
This new policy supports and enhances the role both parents play in caring for newborn or adopted children. It is a key step towards helping new parents meet their responsibilities as both parents and employees.
Bargaining in 2027
The current enterprise agreements (EAs) applying to teachers and general employees in 10 Catholic dioceses will expire in October 2027. This does not include the Broken Bay Diocese, where the EA expires at the start of 2029.
The union will be bargaining for new EAs to cover the 10 dioceses next year.
The IEU will call for the improved parental leave policy in the Canberra-Goulburn Diocese to be applied across the board, not just in one diocese.
We will seek to have this policy incorporated into new EAs that will be negotiated in 2027.
We also urge the Broken Bay Diocese to match the new standard, despite the longer period until that EA expires.
Improved parental leave will also form part of our claim while bargaining next year for new EAs to apply in NSW and ACT independent schools from 2028.
What members can do
The IEU aims to make this new parental leave entitlement the minimum across the non-government school sector.
To do this, we need strong member support. There is strength in numbers, and this strength is essential for expanding this new entitlement.
Talk to your colleagues who may not yet have joined the union, and invite them to join. This is how we build power at the bargaining table. We are always stronger together.
The table below sets out the new policy for employees in primary and secondary schools in Catholic Education Canberra-Goulburn (CECG).
Published in the July 2026 edition of Newsmonth.
