Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what job people do if they get good maternity pay?

224 replies

Aliveinwanderland · 31/08/2016 17:09

I have heard time and time again about women getting 6 months full pay, even a year full pay, for maternity leave!

What job do these women do??? Seriously I am tempted by a career change!

OP posts:
Gracey79 · 31/08/2016 17:22

High street bank 19 weeks full pay

Original poster
Aliveinwanderland · 31/08/2016 17:24

Right... What can I do with a maths degree, a teaching qualification and a masters degree in special needs? Education isn't the way forward for pay!

Teaching maternity pay is 2 weeks full pay, 4 weeks 90% pay, 12 weeks 50% pay and then smp. Not awful, but no-where near what I have heard others getting!

OP posts:
PageStillNotFound404 · 31/08/2016 17:24

Civil Service - departments such as DWP, HMRC, CPS (anything with an acronym really! Grin )

quasibex · 31/08/2016 17:26

Private blue chip company. I get 6 months full pay, an extra 3 months enhanced (about 60%) then you're on your own (think the SMP runs out then too if not you get that).

I'm also on a defined pension plan guarded by vigilant people that manage it very well.

Our is an organisation that if you attain long service it's seen a little odd due to their high turnover (I'm currently on 17 years service) but I've had a great boss for most of that time so clung to my contract for dear life!

NickMarlow · 31/08/2016 17:27

I work for a church. 13 weeks full,13 weeks half, 13 weeks smp. Incredibly generous - it's decided by my individual church, not at national level.

greatbigwho · 31/08/2016 17:29

6 months full, in a business media company.

RockNRollNerd · 31/08/2016 17:29

Big4 accountancy certainly used to be good - 6 months full pay, and the option to take 12 months (before that was legally enforced). You had to have been there a certain number of years to get that though - it certainly did the trick in terms of encouraging some of us to hang on after qualification. All this was over a decade ago though however - no idea what they now offer.

Tobebythesea · 31/08/2016 17:29

I work for a charity and only get 8 weeks full pay. Rubbish 😟

Everydayaschoolday · 31/08/2016 17:30

Armed Forces.

quasibex · 31/08/2016 17:30

Right... What can I do with a maths degree, a teaching qualification and a masters degree in special needs? Education isn't the way forward for pay!

Any corporate Learning and Development department. L&D managers generally start at £35k in our business, it's just a matter of retuning your academic background and you're there. Trade off is rubbish holiday entitlement (unless you're awesome at negotiating).

SoozeyHoozey · 31/08/2016 17:30

Prison Service is six months full pay, followed by three months SMP and three months unpaid.

QueenUrsula · 31/08/2016 17:33

I work in a low paid admin role for the DWP.

I got six months full pay, three months SMP and three months unpaid I was very lucky.

ItsLikeRainOnYourWeddingDay · 31/08/2016 17:34

It's the employer not the job. Have you thought about finance?

We get 6 months full, 3 months half and 3 months zero.

Everydayaschoolday · 31/08/2016 17:34

But the Armed Forces didn't give me all the holidays my kids got off school. I would now love to be working in a school, and coincide my time off with their school holidays. Swings and roundabouts.

thecraftyfox · 31/08/2016 17:38

Local authority aka the council. Enhanced package is 11 weeks at 90% pay then 15 weeks at half pay plus smp. This is after 2 years service.

Original poster
Aliveinwanderland · 31/08/2016 17:38

Quasibex that sounds quite interesting.

I earn £47k now so can't afford too much of a pay cut but will have to take a hit at some point if I retrain in a new area. I know I wouldn't get the holidays but don't mind that too much.

Thanks for the ideas everyone! I don't mind teaching but my love for it is quickly disappearing and so want some ideas ready for in a year or so when I can think about a career change.

OP posts:
HeCantBeSerious · 31/08/2016 17:40

Absolutely. Not having to juggle kids and work over the school holidays (potentially for 15 years!) is worth a lot.

newmumwithquestions · 31/08/2016 17:40

The job I left 2 months before getting pregnant gave 6 months full pay. Not for profit in environmental sector.
Sadly it also required me to work away all the time so I had no chance of getting pregnant whilst in said job.

anyname123 · 31/08/2016 17:41

NHS is 8 weeks full pay + 18 weeks half pay, this is standard. Not bad, but not as amazing as some of the others

JellyWitch · 31/08/2016 17:42

Civil servant - 6 months full pay then the 3 months statutory then annual leave and bank holidays accrued. So I took 10 months off each time and still had about 45 days leave in the bag.

I do full time in 4 days and work at least one of those from home around the school run. Saves a fortune on commuting and child care.

willnotfoldtoday · 31/08/2016 17:43

I work in the stock market and I did get around 7 months full pay at a big investment bank for 2 kids. When I had my 3rd, I was in a much smaller firm doing the same job, newly set up and I just talked to the boss and said I will come back and I am part of the team that will build this. I just wanted to be paid in full during ML as I didn't even check what the pay was going to be it being a start up. He paid me in full for 6-7 months and then I staggered my return, again full pay. He appreciated my honesty and felt he didn't need to pussy foot around questions about my return etc. I appreciate this is not normal and I was lucky to fee I can be very open and not be taken advantaged of.

Jenijena · 31/08/2016 17:44

I work for a university and got six months full pay, but it's not all universities. Also restrictions on how long I had to be there before and after the period of leave.

quitecrunchy · 31/08/2016 17:45

6 months full pay for me - academic research

Figgygal · 31/08/2016 17:46

I work for an engineering firm we only pay 12 weeks full........tight arses!!!!

LieutenantUhurusGreenEarrings · 31/08/2016 17:47

Universities often very good. been out of the sector a few years so it may have changed.

Swipe left for the next trending thread