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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:
Woobeedoo · 01/09/2016 10:41

I work for a large multi-national oil company. I got statutory maternity pay and got grief over that ("We're paying you and you aren't even here!").

Duchessofealing · 01/09/2016 10:52

Financial services and I got 6 months full pay and 3 months stat with six months bonus entitlement based on prior year

MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly · 01/09/2016 11:18

Evil big pharma BlushGrin

18 wk full pay, 18 weeks half pay. Flexible working, paid time off for dependent etc. Very family-friendly policies.

twinmamma2b · 01/09/2016 11:23

While teachers do have a good package compared to lots, it does grate a little that we don't get to use any annual leave we accrue running up to the birth. My due date is at the start of the Christmas holidays but as I have to start my maternity pay that day, I essentially lose my holiday pay accrued through the Autumn Term. In other jobs you can use fully paid annual leave to start maternity leave early and then accrue it through your maternity leave, tagging it on at the end. Ho hum, can't win them all.

HeCantBeSerious · 01/09/2016 11:53

But you can set your return date as the first day of the school holidays and be back in full pay without having to go to work. ;)

HeCantBeSerious · 01/09/2016 11:54

And teachers holiday pay isn't accrued as such. You have an annual contract to deliver however many days/hours of teaching.

twinmamma2b · 01/09/2016 12:14

True, HCBS. Will keep reminding myself of that when I'm wobbling around the classroom at 40 weeks!

Original poster
Aliveinwanderland · 01/09/2016 12:16

I will be returning to work just before the summer holidays so that I get the 6 week summer back on full pay! Sort of like using your holiday entitlement. Depends on the timing of things though as not everyone will manage to do it that way.

OP posts:
greenfolder · 01/09/2016 12:37

I have never had more than statutory minimum despite working in financial services.
I have teacher friends and I'm sure that there is some wrinkle in going back immediately before the end of term and therefore getting paid extra. Obviously depends on dates. If you are ready for a career change go ahead but I wish you the very best of luck finding something where your other benefits such as your pension are anywhere near where they are now. Especially with investment rates as they are. I also pay around £190 per child per week for childcare during the holidays. That's for around 9 weeks after taking everyday of my holiday (26 days) to cover. If kids are ill I take it as unpaid leave. Seriously do the maths on any new career very carefully.

Alisvolatpropiis · 01/09/2016 12:39

Some supermarkets will offer that as part of their maternity package.

Daytona79 · 01/09/2016 12:41

My old company (Exxonmobil) offered 6 months full pay then 6 months half pay then £5000 incentive for returning

Bassface · 01/09/2016 17:08

6 months full pay and childcare vouchers paid while I was off too. I work for a university.

Winfieldwife · 01/09/2016 17:30

I used to work p/t in a high street bank whilst pregnant with DS1, I got to choose 3 months out of a 6 month period which my mat pay would be based on. I had done over time over some of that 6 month period, so obviously I chose those and ended up getting paid more per month in Mat pay than I would ordinarily bring home. I got that for 9 months and then the last 3 dropped to a lower amount.

ooSarahoo · 01/09/2016 17:41

Local government (council) and I'll get 6 weeks at 90% of my salary, 33 weeks at SMP then the rest unpaid.

wasonthelist · 01/09/2016 17:44

American companies seem to have good packages which is odd as they don't in America.

I have worked for a few American companies - I think that because employee benefits are much more of a big deal there they think they have to offer them here - every one I've worked for provides free private healthcare, presumably due to the fact it's a necessity there.

This blog mapper.uk.com/ referenced by a Mumsnet article earlier this year has a survey.

incywincyspideragain · 01/09/2016 17:47

Engineering - 12 months full pay at my company (before 12 months was entitlement) and I had 3 children, I chose the company and vocation before my decision to have children so it's just be an incredibly lucky bonus

ScouseAT · 01/09/2016 17:49

Financial services- 12 weeks at 90% then statutory. Worth noting is most places will continue to pay for any childcare vouchers you were paying before you go on to statutory, even if you don't use them. So if you pay for increased vouchers before you go off they will continue them, if you choose not to use them you can bank them. Definitely handy when you go back to work and have 2 or more in child care and you can use your banked vouchers.

SandyY2K · 01/09/2016 17:55

I thought accruing annual leave and bank holidays while on maternity leave was standard UK law - not a favour your employer is doing you. Maybe I am confused

You're correct. It's the law and not a favour, although if you don't know your rights, you may not get the BHL.

Geobaby · 01/09/2016 18:01

3 months full pay, 3 months half pay and then smp. Plus a return to work bonus of a months salary. I worked for a big oil company. The biggest oil company! My American colleagues weren't so lucky though Hmm.

SmallestInTheClass · 01/09/2016 18:08

Big Blue Chip I got 20 weeks full and then statutory. University gives 6 months but you have to stay there for 1-2 years afterwards. I was really keen to retrain as a teacher but was put off by friends who are teachers as it seems to be great for the school holidays but shocking in term time. ie. no time off if your kids are sick (not even unpaid), very few options to work part-time and therefore no chance to take your kids to and from their own school and the risk your school holidays/teacher days are different dates to theirs. I work four days a week and really value one day a week do take them to and pick up from school. I do know teachers who work part-time but only where they've worked at a school for ages. I think you're doing the right thing to look at options.

Batteriesallgone · 01/09/2016 18:10

Accountants (top firms)
Lawyers (top firms)
Engineers (big PLCs)
Anything to do with Oil

PuntCuffin · 01/09/2016 18:21

Pharma - have had 4 months on full pay with 2 different companies. First one you only got if you'd been there 2 years, 2nd only got paid if you came back and stayed but no time served requirement.

I work 60+ hours per week on a 37 hour contract and I only get 5 weeks annual leave although I do get paid more than the £47k you mentioned and there are a lot of other benefits (car, health care, flexible working etc). I would swap that for longer holidays any time. I think you are kidding yourself if you think that your hours would be miraculously shorter when balanced across the year if you moved out of teaching.

Dogcatred · 01/09/2016 18:22

What batteries says. Basically companies with money where staff are in high waged professional jobs keen to retain women. You pay it all back though if you don't go back to work full time in most cases.

Lweji · 01/09/2016 18:29

Has anyone mentioned academia?

4 months full pay.

ItalianWiking84 · 01/09/2016 18:33

Working and living in a different country Wink joke aside. Here you get at least 52 weeks full pay (that's the law) I'm working for an government organ so get on top of that 8 weeks before due day and 6 weeks more after the 52 weeks that I can use as I wish until baby dd is 6 years old.