Enhanced Maternity Pay - What does your company offer?

[bakinglady1979]

Hi All,

I know there's been a discussion thread about this a number of years ago but I'm currently evaluating the maternity policy at a well known travel technology company I've recently joined with a view to potentially enhancing what we offer to our employees. It'd be great if you're able to let me know if your company offers an enhanced policy, what they offer and what the company name is? The last thread appears to have been about 5 years ago, so any up-to-date information you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

I work in the HR department for this company and we currently offer just the standard level required by law, so I'd love to be able to persuade the powers-that-be to enhance this if possible.

Any information you can give would be great! Many thanks for your help! :)

[KentExpecting]

Hi bakinglady1979,

Interestingly, I also work for a well known, international travel technology company, though it sounds like it's not the one you work for. We get (I'm just copying from our policy document...):

During the first 16 weeks of maternity leave, the employee will receive Maternity Pay of 100% of basic salary.
(After that, it's SMP.)

Pension: As per the pension policy, the company shall continue to make any employer contributions that it usually makes into a pension scheme as long as the employee contributes the 3% during enhanced maternity pay. Thereafter the company will pay the employer and employee contributions up to week 39 of maternity. The employee has thereafter a choice of electing to contribute for the remainder of the maternity leave and receive the employer 5%.

Bonus, Travel Allowance and /or Commission Plan: Employees on maternity leave will be eligible to participate in the discretionary bonus scheme/commission plan in accordance with the rules of the bonus/commission scheme. Participation will take into account the employee’s period of absence during any relevant period. Employees on maternity leave will also continue to receive their full travel allowance during their full maternity leave up to a maximum of 52 weeks.

Note: The 'Travel allowance' is actually a big part of the pay packet - amounting to £7-8k per annum for most employees!

Hope this helps!
:)

[BananaToast]

I get 18 weeks full pay, SMP for the remainder. Work for a university.

[GailLondon]

Large Pharmaceutical company (3 inititals, first one G)

Offers 6 months full pay then the government statutory £138 per week until 9 months.

[Moreisnnogedag]

Nhs here. Full pay 8 weeks then half pay up till 6 months then smp.

[Pisghetti]

Large private company I'd prefer not to name - full pay for 6 weeks, 50% for 33 weeks. Shift allowance (where applicable - not for me) paid in full throughout. Resignation or dismissal within 12 months of mat leave ending (e.g. not returning after leave) necessitates paying back everything above statutory minimum.

[magneticfield55]

3 months full pay then statutory. I work for a charity

[Tealady1983]

6 weeks 90% rest at smp tis pants

[SeaSaltMill]

We get 26 weeks full pay, 13 weeks half pay, then SMP til 9 months.

[InsomniacDormouse]

I work for a small company (9 staff) and I'm the first employee to take maternity leave. I get 6 weeks at 90%, following that it's a fixed sum for 20 weeks (which equates to about 62.5% of my salary but if the same sum was offered to anyone junior to me it would equate to a much higher percentage of their salary). After that it's SMP.

[Pandapickle100]

Large Engineering company (also work in HR...we are reviewing our mat policy in light of shared leave that starts next year - my husband has no chance of getting any of my time off ;-)

Full Pay for 3 months, SMP for remainder. Pension throughout (ee and er) , return to work £1.5k bonus (paid monthly in 12 monthly instalments following return), Accrue leave and all Bank Holidays while on Mat leave and must take in lump sum before returning from mat leave, keep company car and company pays any car contributions while you are off, remain in bonus scheme/salary review etc, if get childcare vouchers employer pays any contributions ... pretty good really but with only 20% of our staff being female, we can afford to be!

[magneticfield55]

Seasaltmill, can I work with you?!

[ZylaB]

In a secure place of work

We get 13 weeks full pay, 13 weeks half pay, 13 weeks SMP then 13 weeks of nothing. Though I won't get much as I've been signed off forever and they work it out using certain weeks when I haven't been there, oh well.

[TheGirlOnTheLanding]

My employer (large multinational I'd prefer not to name) takes a different approach - we get SMP but then a tax free bonus when we return to work. Made budgeting during mat leave tricky, but it can see the advantage of not having to get people to repay some/all of their enhanced pay if they decide not to come back, and it was helpful paying for childcare.

[avocadotoast]

I work for a large charity (again, I'd prefer not to name!). We get (I think) 3 days full pay, 6 weeks 90%, remaining 33 weeks SMP, after that nowt.

Interestingly my DH's workplace offers a much better maternity package, so if they allow the same for fathers when everything changes in April, I could be returning to work sooner than I'd like.

[SeaSaltMill]

Magnetic, come on over!

[Jamdoughnutfiend]

Work for a very large global org. We get 12 weeks full pay, 12 weeks half pay and then statutory until 9 months - retain car allowances, pension contributions, annual leave etc but you to work a full year after or pay anything above statutory back

[nippey]

I work for a medium sized charity, they offer 6 weeks full pay, 20 weeks half pay and then SMP until 12 months. They allow you to retain all benefits, including annual leave and you have to return for 3 months or pay anything above SMP back.

[weeblueberry]

I work for a small media company. We get 6 weeks at 90% then SMP.

[minipie]

City law firm. 20 weeks full pay then stat mat pay. The enhanced is repayable if we don't come back for at least 6 months after mat leave.

[PossumPoo]

13 weeks at full pay, 13 at 50% and 13 at smp.

[StarlingMurmuration]

We get statutory only - large publishing company. BUT we get a salary hike for 12 months upon our return "to help with childcare costs". Most people go back on reduced hours with the salary hike meaning you get your "full" salary while working part-time.

[StarlingMurmuration]

Personally, I'd rather have decent maternity at, though the salary hike is very popular.

[MGFM]

I work for the Royal Navy. I get 6 months full pay, 3 months SMP, 3 months no pay. I accrue holidays etc in this time.

[makesomenoise]

I work for the Local Authority. 6 wks full pay, 12 wks half pay and the rest at stat. Thought this would be in line with NHS but I see from above they do better than us!