To ask to see the mat leave policy before I apply for the job?

[ConkerGame]

I’m early 30s, doing well at work but currently looking for a new role for promotion opportunities.

I’m being contacted by lots of headhunters about various roles and I always ask them a) what is the salary / salary range if it’s negotiable, as I’d only move for a decent pay-rise, and b) to see the mat/Pat/shared parental leave policy. I know I’m going to want kids in a couple of years and I’m the higher earner so I wouldn’t be willing to move somewhere with rubbish enhanced leave provisions.

Whenever I’ve asked for this, the headhunters look shocked and say there’s no way they could get access to that before offer stage. But to my mind there’s no point wasting everyone’s time with a couple of rounds of interview etc if I’ll take one look at the policy post-offer stage and say “no thanks”. Surely it’s best not to waste everyone’s time? And if they are the kind of employer that won’t employ someone in case they go on Mat leave then I don’t want to work there either!

Should say I’m aware most places you have to have worked there for a year to qualify for the enhanced policy, which is fine, and I’d be happy to work at the next place for a decent length of time if it all goes well, so I just see mat leave as a short period in a long career. I’m also only applying to big corporate companies, if that makes a difference, not small start ups or anything.

The most a headhunter has given me so far is “it’s competitive”, which means nothing in reality! So AIBU to think the headhunters should ask for the policy to share with potential candidates if they ask?

And, as a pp said, young men are just as likely to need paternity leave (which is enhanced in some companies and a lot more than two weeks) and then you have parental leave, adoption leave etc.

I’ve been in this position and got round it by asking for the full benefit package.

It’s not only maternity I’m interested in, similarly, I won’t take a job with crap pension contributions and they seem to be similarly guarded information!

I always ask to see the maternity policy when applying for any job. I tell them I can tell a lot about the company by what their policy is.

Have you looked on Glassdoor?

I 100% don’t agree with what I’m about to say but I believe it. If you ask or talk about maternity pay or anything maternity related you won’t get the job. Yes I know by law it’s discrimination but it will and does happen.

The OP is being recruited via an Agency. If she calls the company they are hiring for directly and asks the right people about the policy, the interview panel aren't going to know when it comes to shortlisting which of the applicants asked. If they even care.

@Favouritefruits I really hope you’re wrong but the vibe I’m getting suggests otherwise. Think I’m going to have to be a bit more savvy - I may have been a bit naive.

@pktechgirl at what point in the process do you ask? And are you speaking to the company directly?

I’ve only ever spoken to a company direct twice when job hunting - it’s mostly through an agency. I work in technology so the first interview is on the phone with HR to confirm I am who I am so I ask in the first interview as a HR question. I used to ask is as

“What is the company maternity’s policy particularly regarding men and adoption. I ask because it tells me a lot about how the company views their people and how proud they are of its benefits to the staff”

Now I ask outright from the recruiter. They never know straight away and I do agree you have to judge it and be careful because asking can lead to you not getting the role. But because of my age now I can get away with asking right off the bat. The same still applied though - I can tell how progressive a company is from its policy.

@pktechgirl that’s a really good system. I don’t tend to have any direct contact with HR, annoyingly!