What maternity package are you getting?

[MrsLister]

I've just heard on the work grapevine that our maternity package at work has been 'changed' recently and isn't as 'generous' as it used to be (I think you got minimum 2 months full pay if you'd been there a year, increased exponentially the longer you'd been there, then onto SMP)

I'm a bit pissed off because I havent been informed of these changes to the policy so have been assuming I would get the above (which is what i was told I'd get when I was pregnant last year - had a MMC)

Anyway - just wondering what kind of package you were getting? And are there any of you that work for companies who only pay SMP?

I work full time for a media agency and have been here 5 years

Thanks!

I get just the basic smp, but I work for a small environmental charity. DP does a roughly equivalent job for the govt and would get 6 months full then a fair whack for the remainder. Have told DP he should have the next one...

I work for an international law firm. Since I returned from mat leave with DD, they've improved the maternity package so if/when we are lucky enough to have DC2 they will offer
wk 1-12 = full pay
wk 13-39 = SMP
Then 3 months after returning to work, a bonus of 8 weeks of salary (pro-rated if you go back part time).

26 weeks full pay, then SMP then nothing for 3 months then full pay again for another month and a half of annual leave.

I'm just updating our policy to offer 10 weeks full pay, 8 weeks half pay then SMP. up from stat only.
from HR p o v would say that mat policy is rarely contractual so employers do have the right to change - you can be unhappy about it, but no formal grounds to complain
Also re claw back clauses - wouldn't rely too much on non enforcement...possession may be 9/10ths of the law but if you are owed any pay/holiday etc when leaving, I would reclaim from that

How do you get into discussions of the day? All the ones I have clicked on are sitting at 125 posts, why is this not a discussion of the day?

Count yourselves lucky ladies, I got $0/0 weeks paid as I live in the US - I took 12 weeks with my first (maximum allowed) and 6 weeks with my second as we were really skint . I'd love to move back to the UK, have a third and experience a real mat leave!!

I had my 1st 2 in Norway, with 1st took 100% pay for 10 mnths, with 2nd took 80% for 12 months, had the 3rd in Oz, got nothing. Scandinavia is not perfect but in regards to mat/pat leave they are definitely forward thinking and get it right (dads get 15 weeks paternity pay which can be swapped with the mother). Scandinavia has very high breastfeeding rates and surely the simple answer is that mums can just relax and enjoy the 1st year with their baby with no financial worries and without the practicalities of having to express at work. The culture as a whole thinks everyone should get PAID maternity leave, unlike when there are polls in the UK/Oz when everyone starts going on about their taxes, surely this is an area where it pays to make sure families get the best start.

Agree with you shanster the UK is crazy generous with maternity benefits, not that would complain if I was living in the UK.

In most other countries the law works in favour of the employer, I'm not sure this is a bad thing from an employer perspective. why as a company MD should I pay someone when they are not at work and not sick and then you can't get a good quality replacement as you have to keep the job open for a year which puts the business at risk.

I'm not a company MD btw and will be taking as much maternity leave as possible, 12 weeks, but I can see it from both angles.

Ah but cosmos sounds like you have been affected by the culture and thinking and opinions around you, as a company MD, you should appreciate that biologically women will have babies, always have, always will, and to ensure that you get quality employers back (i.e. the women leaving to go on mat leave) you should ensure that they get to be a mother and be with their babies whilst little, so they are ready for work when the time comes, otherwise women get pushed out of the workforce. In Norway, the positions to fill mat leave are taken, as a one year position, by quality employees, and the system works well, everyone is a winner.
Also if the government backs mat leave, small businesses do not loose, as the government pays the difference. Having experienced great mat leave, and no mat leave I get so cross that society cannot see the long term benefits of it. They may not be at work and they may not be sick, they are taking time of to look after dependant beings for a short time, and will be coming back to work. The economy will be better if women are supported for this short term time off.

The way I saw it was that my employer has invested time & money in me, getting me trained up etc, and it's better (from their pov) to let me have some time off & get me to come back than just loose me. Obviously this isn't going to be true in all professions though...

I agree it is bad zumm - in any of my previous jobs I would not have been able to afford to take more than six weeks off. Thankfully my new job has allowed me to save quite a bit.

I work in the pharmaceutical industry and get 4 months full pay followed by SMP. Mothers who don't return to work have to pay back the occupational component, i.e. the money they've received over and above SMP (which is 6 weeks at 90% followed by 33 weeks at just over £100 a week).

I get four weeks full pay, weeks 5-6 on 90% pay, weeks 7-18 at 50% pay plus SMP, and then the final 21 weeks on just SMP. Can take up to 52 weeks, so the rest would be unpaid.

I teach in a maintained secondary school in the uk.

Wow. I did not realise how lucky I was.

9 months full pay.

Zilch. Since graduating I've only had short term contracts and don't even get holiday or sick pay at the moment. Not thinking about having kids for another couple of years but there don't seem to be any permanent contracts out there.

wow theres so much variation.

i get

wks 1-6 full pay or 90% whichever is the greater
wks 7-18 50% or smp again the greater
wks 19-33 smp (which is rising in Feb or April!)

when i had my last child the rtw bonus was making your wks 7-18 up to full pay after returning for 3 months paid as a lump sum i really benefited as i was a full time manager when i left but returned as a part time supervisor, however they have now changed the bonus and you get a %for returning after 6 months and a lower % for returning after 9 months this is on your returning salary! you don't get anything for returning after 12 months:( . in terms of telling us my company announced it and then set it for babies after a certain date not sure of the time frame though!

op- have you had the official announcement yet?

I also have to pay back my additional leave if I don't return, however with annual leave and accrued bank holidays (and returning part time) my ml finished in Dec 11 but not due back til middle if April so could still resign as my 3 months have been a/l

Mine is pretty good - I get six months full pay, 3 months 75%, then 3 months at an equivelent of SMP. But then I can take a further 12 weeks off unpaid... so with holiday etc I ended up having about 16 months off with DD.

Unfortunately I've only come back part time so although I'll get the same package with this baby, it will be substantially less! (no extra 12 weeks for me!)

Should prob just point out here over 2 years after my job was given to someone else whilst I was on mat leave (a long story) my employer has just written to me asking me to pay back the overpayment since I didn't return to work

i work for a large multinational company and get 13 weeks at 90%, then SMP until around 9-10 months (forget which week), then nothing.

So after my original paranoia about changes to our package it turns out I will quality for the existing one - new package doesn't come into play until October (well - babies born from Oct onwards)

So I'll get 12 weeks full salary then 6 weeks 90% and SMP - can also add holidays to that.

Very relieved it has to be said.

Still in shock at the variance of packages to be honest - and to the lady who gets 12 months full pay - jealous!

Working for the NHS, I get standard NHS allowance as long as you have worked for them for over a year.
So, I get 8 weeks full pay, 18 weeks half pay + SMP, then SMP till 39 weeks and nothing after that but can have a full year off. I thought that was fairly generous but reading what some of you others get I'm jealous!
Husband gets 2 weeks paternity, a week fully paid and a week SMP.

I also accrue annual leave whilst on mat leave, don't know if this is standard for the rest of you or not, so can tag any accrued annual leave not the end of mat leave before going back if I choose.

that's fantastic news mrsl that must be such a relief, i did think there would be a qualifying period for the new one :)

i accrue holiday so get an extra 6 weeks before at full pay

im also v v v jealous of the 12 months full pay :(

Thanks goingmad - it was indeed a relief! :)

v jealous of the 12 months full pay!

we get 13 weeks full pay, 13 weeks 50% then SMP until 39 weeks, but can have a year off. you can put holiday on after that if you want!
If you don't go back to work/ do but stay less than 6 months, you have to pay anything above SMP back, and if you go back and stay between 6 - 12 months you pay 50% back. I've been back at work 13 months (after having 11 months off but doing KIT days) and go off again on maternity leave in 10 days!!
have worked hard for them though and intending to go back again, they've even promoted me since I've been back which is great and have been really supportive.
good luck everyone