Clayton Utz staff will be entitled to up to 36 weeks of paid parental leave, effective immediately, CEP Darryl McDonough has announced. The firm's parental pay policy offering is in addition to the government's Paid Parental Leave scheme (PPL), which provides for 18 weeks paid parental leave for individuals earning less than $150,000 a year.

"Our scheme means staff who are eligible for the Government's PPL, and who have worked at Clayton Utz for five continuous years or more, will be eligible for up to 36 weeks paid parental leave," said McDonough. "In addition, our scheme also gives staff the flexibility to receive their 18 week payment over a period of 36 weeks at 50% of normal pay. Effectively this allows eligible staff to receive an income for up to a year whilst on parental leave."