Calling all private sector employees - Maternity Leave

[Applemuncher]

I work in the private sector and my maternity leave is rubbish!!! 6 weeks at 90% then stat.

I'm planning on writing a letter to the HR manager to say how bad this policy is in line with other similar companies. I know the Public sector are mostly well catered for (having previously worked in the public sector)but I was just wondering what everyone elses entitlement is (all ammunition for my compelling atgument ).

Is anyone willing to let me know what their policy is? (thanks in advance).

I am same as preghead, major bank, 6 months full pay. Worked like a dog whilst pregnant tho, including doing a 70 hour week whilst 36 weeks pregnant. (not really what you were asking, but I'm still bitter!)

I'm an airline employee, was grounded as soon as I told them I was pregnant, and I can tell you my take home pay took a hit, as we don't get all of our flying pay when grounded. Then we get SMP. When we return to work we have to work full time for at least 3 months before any part time is allowed, to show we can remember what we are doing. This is a huge disincentive to returning to work earlier even when you could really do with the money, as they can send you anywhere in the world for up to 7 consecutive days - not a great thing when you are leaving a small child behind.

OTOH, once you get that part time it is easy to work very few days a month for a very decent salary, and get a couple of nights a month when you aren't woken up by a little person (OH has to step into my shoes there while I catch up on some well earned grown-up time and sleep!)

I would like for pregnancy and mat leave to be just a little bit less severe on the old pay front though.

Based on anecdotal evidence I think there is a patterna that the companies with most female employees have the worst Maternity provisions. I'm thinking here of large high street banks with up to 60% female workforce. Typically the professions with better Maternity provisions are those which have traditionally had mostly male employees (investment banking, law, engineering). These firms can thus afford better Mat terms as they have less to provide for. It's that simple.

97% of people doing my job are men, although granted there are a lot of women in other roles in my industry.

I'm the person that started the other thread. I get 8 weeks full pay and 18 weeks half pay with the NHS. I dont think thats THAT good, infact some of you private sector ladies are getting better deals. Im not moaning about my lot though, my post was merely surprised and confused.

How I had originally calculated it, now THAT was good. Shame it was bloody wrong

There are several railway companies which give 39 weeks full pay.
I think BT have a decent maternity scheme too.

i think you might be right there - I'm in a city bank that does the 6m full pay and am the only woman in my department!

There are more women in HR, Marketing etc but overall it has got to be way more men.

I work in a big firm (something like 6,000 UK employees). On top of the basic SMP allowance we get the following if we've been there more than 2 years:

• 3 months pay as a lump sum when you go off on ML 1.5 months pay as a lump sum when you return from ML if* you return within a year. It's also pro-rated to your returning sal, so if you come back part time that's reflected.
• The option to take up to 3 years, although no additional payment if you do (and in fact you miss out on that second payment).

Welcome to the real world of statutory maternity pay. If I wrote to the hr department amour this in my third sector organisation they would laugh and laugh!!