Maternity leave-trying to assess how good/bad I have it

[PineCones]

I'm sorry if there is an existing thread that has the answers, but I couldn't find one.. so..
I'm trying to assess how good a deal my employer is offering. To me it sounds like the absolute statutory minimum but I'm happy to be educated!
(a) I get ordinary mat leave of up to 39 weeks- the only payment during this time is the statutory maternity pay. Which I believe is 90% for the first 6 weeks and after that the statutory minimum (about £125 a week?)
and
(b) additional, unpaid mat leave of another 13 weeks

Is this good or are employers who offer better than this, the exception?
My employer doesn't really push the boat out in terms of pay/benefits generally so i'd like to know where i (and all the other women in my office) stand!
Any help most appreciated!

[Lizcat]

Standard for most businesses particularly the small ones.

[PineCones]

Thanks Lizcat!

[llamallama]

That's is statutory minimum.

On top of what you have I got occupational maternity pay which equated to six weeks full pay.

I work for a local authority. Mine is still fairly low, I heard if you work for the civil service you get six months full pay!

[HJwantstosleep]

I got that. Local authority.

[LikeAnAdventCandleButNotQuite]

That's what I get, and I work for a worldwide Hotel chain. It's pants.

My friend who is a nurse gets 6 months full pay, 3 months half pay then 13 weeks unpaid. I have said if she is going to have kids, have them before changing her career (not that she will, she loves it).

At least we can be thankful that, should we decide not to return, we do not have to repay our employer.

[An0therName]

in my experience a lot of firms just offer the miniumum - even quite big firms
best I have heard of was 1 years full pay

[Morph2]

most people only get statutory unless they are working in public sector

[BikeRunSki]

I work for a Quango. 18 wks full pay, 21 wks stat pay, 13 weeks no pay.

I believe HSBC and Ford give you a year full pay.

[PineCones]

Thanks! As I guessed, they've not really pushed the boat out.

[PineCones]

{wondering how I can get HSBC to hire me}

[CMOTDibbler]

I got stat minimum

[SootySweepandSue]

I got 16 weeks full pay at a multinational and didn't have to pay back when I left. Not everyone got this though you had to have worked there 3 years I think. I felt very lucky, but I have heard better. I actually thought NHS was good for ML but maybe I'm wrong or it varies.

It pays to have things like bonuses, car allowance if you can choose these things as part of salary as they still payout on these during ML.

[SootySweepandSue]

I also heard BP give you a year.

[StetsonsAreCool]

I got the same as you too. Stat minimum.

[An0therName]

and Unilever a year I think

[cerys74]

Stat minimum here (University policy).

[PineCones]

Ladies, i looked here and found a great link to a survey
Of course the world having gone to sh*t sincce 2007 may mean that a lot of the survey isn't valid anymore.

[PineCones]

'since'

[PineCones]

LikeAnAdvent - you've got a point!

[AlanMoore]

LikeAnAdventCandle is your mate sure she's right? NHS nurses don't get anything like 6 months full and 6 months half so she could be in for a rude shock! Not in my trust anyway, it's 8 weeks full, then I think it's 18 half then 13 SMP or the other way round.

Which is pretty good, not to be sniffed at considering what some other employers offer but it's nowhere near that much (slightly sulky after reading too many DM comments threads about gold plated pensions).

[bushymcbush]

I'm a teacher. I get 4 weeks full, 2 weeks 90%, 12 weeks half plus SMP, then 21 weeks SMP. Can take another 3 months but at no pay and no pension contributions.

I think what I get is piss poor actually, but it is a little more than the minimum, which you describe in your op.

[PineCones]

I'm getting more and more wound up the more I think about it actually
My male peers all have children (most of them have SAHM wives or partners take care of the children) and I am the one who hasn't been able to have a child yet because of the measly pay and benefits
I am for the first time beginning to appreciate how hard it is - when they say it's bloody hard

[SailorVie]

1 year full pay here, private sector company.

[Fuchzia]

6 months full pay and then 3 months smp. I'm in the civil service where this is pretty standard. Just realising how lucky I am.