EY Australia's latest policy ties down workers with newborns

From 1 July, EY Australia employees who take parental leave must continue working at the firm for a minimum of 12 months before leaving, to avoid having to repay eight weeks' paid parental leave upon resignation, under a new policy announced in May.

The Australian Financial Review reported that the firm’s regional deputy chief executive, Jenelle McMaster, informed the firm’s 8,000 Australian employees of the change on 14 May 2026.

In a statement, EY Australia told Accounting Times: “We have made an amendment to our paid family leave policy, which includes conditions around eligibility, which is standard across businesses in Australia and New Zealand."

Upon voluntary resignation within 12 months of taking their parental leave, the firm’s employees will have the option to repay the eight-week paid parental leave equivalent either by offsetting the repayment amount to final pay, a lump sum repayment, or a repayment plan.

Currently, the firm offers employees 26 weeks of paid parental leave, with its website saying that there is no required service period to access it. This will change with the policy’s implementation on 1 July, when workers need to work for a minimum of six months before being eligible for this paid parental leave.

“We regularly evaluate and update our employee benefits to ensure they reflect the needs of our people and our business," the EY Australia spokesperson added.

“We continue to offer 26 weeks of paid family leave for primary carers, which remains highly competitive and places EY among the leading organisations in the Australian market,” the spokesperson said.

The firm told Accounting Times that the return-to-work expectations are not unusual for parents, especially at organisations that provide extended paid family leave well above statutory minimums.

Currently, EY Australia offers its employees 26 weeks of paid parental leave, along with the 24 weeks of government-paid parental leave, which will increase to 26 weeks on 1 July.

“These arrangements reflect the scale of that investment and a shared focus on supporting and retaining talent over the longer term.”

Editor's note: This story has been updated since publication.