Enhanced Maternity Pay - What does your company offer?

[bakinglady1979]

Hi All,

I know there's been a discussion thread about this a number of years ago but I'm currently evaluating the maternity policy at a well known travel technology company I've recently joined with a view to potentially enhancing what we offer to our employees. It'd be great if you're able to let me know if your company offers an enhanced policy, what they offer and what the company name is? The last thread appears to have been about 5 years ago, so any up-to-date information you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

I work in the HR department for this company and we currently offer just the standard level required by law, so I'd love to be able to persuade the powers-that-be to enhance this if possible.

Any information you can give would be great! Many thanks for your help! :)

18 weeks full pay then stat until 39 weeks. Keep all benefits throughout the year. Large prof services firm.

2 weeks full pay, 4 weeks 90%, 12 weeks 50% plus SMP then 21 weeks at SMP. East Riding County Council (teacher).

3 months full pay, 3 months half pay, 3 months statutory. Teacher, inner London borough. (Stuck with the job until family complete as it's one of the best mat leave deals for teachers in the country)

Ecommerce company
6 weeks full pay then SMP
aka shite

Large energy company (privatised utility...) 6 mo full pay, 3mo SMP, 3 mo unpaid. If I don't return for 12 months I have to pay back a pro-rata of 3 mo of the "enhanced mat pay" which makes up the non-SMP bit of months 4-6's pay. Plus I get my bonus paid at a level based on average of last two quarters award, some other perks like special energy tariff (paid via salary sacrifice).

Bank - six months full pay and three months statutory.

18 weeks full pay
21 weeks SMP
Exactly the same job remains open to 52 weeks, unless organisation is restructured.

Large Quango

18 weeks full pay, 21 stat, pension contributions kept up etc. Work for regional government.

Oh yes, we get pension contributions and Ccv too, but have to continue lease car contributions (or pay them back once we are back at work).

10 weeks full pay, then SMP. Pension contributions paid, holidays can be accrued or paid, remain in bonus scheme & salary review. Large financial services organisation which offers generous benefits in other areas, but the maternity pay is crap.

Hadn't realised how crap mine was . 6 weeks 90% then SMP. Enhanced pay is another 6 weeks at 90% or £3k, whichever is the lower - to be paid on your return to work!!!! And only for employees with five years service.

6 months' full pay + 3 months at SMP. Large professional services firm.

Incidentally, my job involves benefits benchmarking and we published the results of a survey on maternity pay about a year ago. PM me if you'd like more details!

I work for a smallish creative agency. We get the statutory minimum. Then a pay hike for three months after going back to work (work 4 days, get paid for 5).

Mine is utterly crap - large, successful financial services company.

90% for 10 weeks then SMP.

I would honestly describe my company's attitude to working mothers as "appalling". I have also been told, explicitly, that I am given smaller pay rises and bonuses (already paltry) because I'm a working female who cannot work as late as my counterparts, no matter the quality of work I do, or if I work late at home.

Would love to name and shame.

I worked for a large american agency and got six weeks at 90%, followed by five weeks at 50% (because I'd been working there for five years) and then SMP. if I'd gone back and stayed for six months then I would have got the other 50% of five weeks pay as a lump sum.

On top of the statutory six weeks we get a lump sum of one month's salary paid in the sixth week and then a return to work bonus of two months salary split over the first 24 months back.

I work for a church. 13 weeks full pay, 13 weeks half, 13 weeks smp. I have to go back to work.for a year after maternity leave (pt or ft) or pay back the enhanced bit

We get 18wks full pay, then SMP. Where I worked previously it was 6wks full pay and then up to the 9month mark on half pay. Cost to the business is basically the same for these 2 options but I preferred 18wks full pay as it was a carrot to get me back to work sooner, which it turned out was a Very Good Thing for me.

Are you considering what to offer fathers as the new shared parental leave rules are coming in? I hope you will be able to offer them the same package.

For those who's companies are offering 90% for 6 weeks then SMP...

That is SMP. If you don't qualify for SMP then you may qualify for Maternity Allowance, which is basically SMP without the 90% bit.

Your company isn't even offering the 90% as enhanced; that is what the government guideline is for anyone who has worked over a certain number of hours for 26 weeks before week 25 of your pregnancy (or something like that). Which makes it even more shit if you've been with that company forever and that's still all they offer.

If that's the case, I just get SMP.

I meant to add we accrue all annual leave whilst off too, meaning I am lucky enough to get 2 months full pay at the end of my Mat leave. So I'm planning on taking 13 months off in total.

We get 6 months full pay then smp. Not required to return or pay anything back silly hr. However, my work is family friendly so most people return at the end of maternity leave. It does pay rubbish compared to similar roles in other industries but the other benefits do make up for it. (Sitting here and most of the office have already gone home.)

It is a medical devices company.

To add to what Retro says its the law that annual leave continues to be accrued throughout maternity leave. It's not a perk that your employer gives you out of choice.

I work for a large American investment bank. We get 6 months full pay, 3 months SMP and 3 months unpaid. During the year we get full benefits and holiday accrual and any bonus paid as based on ranking for the previous half year. I feel very lucky, it's a great package.