Maternity leave

[ChanningsPony]

Posting for a mate of mine. She's pregnant and a very basic maternity package of 90% for 6 weeks and then SMP.
I was a student when I had my kids over 8 years ago, so never had to deal with this but it seems like a really shit package to me?
My job has 90% for 6 weeks and then decreasing % for 6 months.

What is standard now and does she have any chance of fighting for more? Any suggestions would be brilliant, thanks.

The government stipulates minimums, it doesn't give guidance.

It also rebates to that level so making it higher would be a big ask.

Does she have a partner? His company might offer an SPL package. Or she could use annual leave as this is accrued during maternity leave. KIT and SPLIT days are often paid (but check) if she wants to do them.

That's all well and good, actino, but OP's friend is in the UK... where we do have SMP and MA

Yy to it's really not shocking at all and if it's a concern it should have been considered before taking the post. The six weeks at 90% is SMP; it's not part of a package.

Frankly I'm just grateful I'm not in the US or similar when I think about all of this. The mind boggles at how people do it over there.

That is the basic statutory package. No employer is obliged to offer any more than that. It is likely below market for most employers these days but there's not a huge amount she can do about it now, is there?

Try being self employed, no 90% for six weeks - just straight on to statutory.

I haven't worked for any companies that offer enhanced maternity pay!

She should try adding on annual leave at the beginning and end of her maternity leave, in order to stretch out her time and to give her more money.

All of this would usually be part of the employers policy documents or her contract, so it shouldn't be a big surprise to be honest.

Everyone knows maternity pay is generally pretty crap!

It's pretty standard in most companies. She really should have looked into this before getting pregnant not wait until she is pregnant. She will just have to get on with it as all parents do.

That has been standard at most of my jobs. Why should a business pay full wage for someone not present out of their choice - and full wage to someone else who is covering them?! Some large corporations with buckets of money will offer great maternity packages as a benefit for working there and an incentive to go back, but you can't expect that kind of benefit. If businesses were forced to give whacking great maternity packages it would definitely lead to young women being discriminated against when going for new jobs.

I agree doublecarrick. I'm pregnant with my first. I also have to go back to work after 3 months because nobody's going to keep my business going for 9 months while I'm off.