Family Assistance Office
More Help for Families returning to work
Couple families who receive FTB Part B while one parent is not working, may be entitled to the maximum rate of FTB Part B for the period in the financial year before that parent returns to work for the first time after the birth of a child or an eligible child entered their care.
The eligible parent will be exempt from the FTB Part B secondary earner income test for a 'quarantine period' in the financial year period before returning to work for the first time, where no income or passive employment income, such as paid leave or maternity leave, was received.
This measure helps prevent parents from incurring an FTB Part B debt due to increased income from returning to work for the first time after a new child enters their family.
Who is eligible?
This measure provides extra assistance to recipients of FTB Part B who are a member of a couple and making the transition between home and work responsibilities. Couples are targeted by this measure as eligible single parents automatically receive the maximum rate of FTB Part B.
It is available once for each eligible FTB Part B child to secondary earners who are:- natural parents;
- step-parents;
- adoptive parents; or
- grandparents who have the care of a grandchild.
Example
- Jane has a 10 year old son, Mike.
- Jane has not worked or received any passive employment income since Mike was born and her husband has been the primary income earner for the family and earns less than the primary earner income limit.
- Jane returns to work on 20 September.
- Jane rings the Family Assistance Office to tell them she has returned to work and finds that she is eligible to access the quarantine period from 1 July to 19 September as this is the period in the financial year prior to her return to work.
When is it paid?
- This measure commenced 1 July 2005 and will apply for the 2005-06 financial year onwards.
- Eligibility is calculated after the end of the financial year when FTB payments are balanced.
If you have returned to work after a new child enters your care you should tell the Family Assistance Office.
Example
- Jane has a 10 year old son Mike.
- Jane has not worked or received any passive employment income since Mike was born and her husband has been the primary income earner for the family.
- Jane returns to work on 20 September 2005.
- Jane rings the Family Assistance Office to tell them she has returned to work and finds that she is eligible to access the quarantine period from 1 July to 19 September 2005 as this is the financial year period prior to her return to work.
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URL: http://www.familyassist.gov.au/content/publications-factsheets-return_to_work.htm
This page last modified on 01/07/2008.
This page accessed on 08/01/2009.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2008