Statutory maternity leave - is this normal?

[PizzaBreath]

Where I work, we only have statutory maternity leave, fine. I just wondered are women entitled to the same two weeks paternity pay that men get also? Currently we don’t receive this. Now I’ve written it down it seems perfectly normal, but people (well mainly the few women we have) here are seriously unhappy.

Thanks in advance, I have tried Googling but not got too far!

I don’t really understand; why would you get paternity pay as well as maternity pay? Also it’s the same amount of money so men aren’t doing any better. Or do you mean if you’re in a same sex couple?

I’m not really sure I understand the question. If you have maternity pay you won’t have paternity. Your partner doesn’t have maternity so they get paternity.

In my DH’s company he’s entitled to the two weeks but it’s not paid. He will take it as holiday.

www.gov.uk/paternity-pay-leave

No. The partner of the mother is not entitled to "paternity pay", they are entitled to paternity leave, which is paid. Unless there is something different in your contract.

The people who are "seriously unhappy" need to catch themselves on; the purpose of paternity leave is to ensure that the partner of the mother can be involved and support mother and baby, it's not a free perk...

If you get statutory maternity pay that is 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks then
£151.20 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks

So you can be off for 39 weeks.

Why is paternity leave/pay a factor? Presumably your workplace has a policy of full pay for 2 weeks or something?

There’s also Shared Parental Leave...

No, but I think the first week/10 days is compulsory and may be paid at a different rate. I may be wrong, please check.

That’s how I understand it too, why would we get the 2 weeks paternity also? It’s really kicking off though, someone has resigned over it. We offer 2 weeks full pay paternity leave but maternity is government statutory.

I think possibly as we only have a handful of women, and this is the first one to need maternity leave, it’s highlighted.

Thanks for the replies too - appreciate it after my not very clear question.

They’re annoyed the father gets 2 weeks at full pay not at the 90% level, I assume?

Yes @NoSquirrels I think that is it!

Well, it is a dumb policy. Government says paternity leave is also paid at 90% for up to 2 weeks, so it’s a stupid policy to give 2 weeks paternity at full pay if you’re also not going to give 2 weeks maternity at full pay.

I am confused. The mother will get maternity leave and pay. They don’t get paternity leave and pay as that makes no sense at all. The mothers partner gets paternity leave and pay and I assume you don’t have to be male just the partner although someone can confirm this.

@PizzaBreath

That’s how I understand it too, why would we get the 2 weeks paternity also? It’s really kicking off though, someone has resigned over it. We offer 2 weeks full pay paternity leave but maternity is government statutory.

I think possibly as we only have a handful of women, and this is the first one to need maternity leave, it’s highlighted.

If the men are getting two weeks FULL pay, not 90% and the women only get 90% regardless of the amount of weeks. Then yes I would arguing this with HR too as they are choosing to uplift the male pay but not the women's?

Do you have a union? This may be worth raising with them as sex discrimination, they are blatantly paying men more.

Thanks @sabrinathemiddleagewitch that’s it’s and I get it now. Definitely men getting full pay for paternity, we’ve had a lot of men on paternity leave of late so it’s a hot topic.

@PizzaBreath

That’s how I understand it too, why would we get the 2 weeks paternity also? It’s really kicking off though, someone has resigned over it. We offer 2 weeks full pay paternity leave but maternity is government statutory.

I think possibly as we only have a handful of women, and this is the first one to need maternity leave, it’s highlighted.

Ah right, well that's different isn't it!

There is a rate of statutory pay for both maternity and paternity leave, employers can choose to pay more.

They are paying more for paternity - more likely to be men - but not for maternity - women. That sounds like discrimination to me... Not surprised women are unhappy!

No union @Wtfdoipick , inadequate HR. There’s bigger issues here too in inequality between men and women and how they are treated when kids come on the scene. This one I wanted to get some clarity on before approaching anyone-thanks to all who responded.

What is statutory paternity pay? Is it 2 weeks paid leave at full rate?

While maternity pay is 90% for some weeks and a lesser amount for further weeks, it's probably not a discriminatory issue within your workplace if both mothers and fathers get statutory, whatever that is.

Whether or not any differences between statutory rates are discriminatory is a separate issue.

If they’re e handing paternity and not maternity rates that’s potential discrimination right there