What is your work's maternity policy?

[Butterflies12]

Hiya!
I work for a small, private, family company that has maybe 25 employees. Last week, my HR manager informed me that while they don't have a finalised maternity policy yet (or any policies or a staff handbook!) They will not be providing any maternity pay other than statutory maternity pay. She then told me that most companies don't offer any maternity pay and it was unusual if they did (she said only big companies like 500+ law firms do). In my experience of asking people I know, it is actually more unusual for companies not to provide any mat pay above statutory. So would anyone be willing to share what their company policy is so I can gain a wider picture? Thank you 💞

12 weeks full pay, 4 weeks half pay

I would also agree that it is now more unusual for companies not to offer any company maternity pay, in a world where everyone wants to become an employer of choice.

I work for a global company with ~450 employees total, where I am on the UK site only has 55 employees. We get 3 months full pay company maternity pay, then statutory pay.

Yh that is definitely not true - all my mum friends had some form of enhanced maternity pay, usually had to have worked somewhere a year to get it.

I’m at a mid size charity and got three months full and three months half

I work for Local Gov, we get 6 weeks full pay, 12 weeks half pay (occupational maternity pay) and then SMP🤍 and even that’s a struggle. I really don’t get how people manage to do it in the cost of living crisis but we’ll manage I guess lol. Hopefully without a delay in mortgage payments lol. We also took out a huge loan for IVF, so I’m now saving £400+ a month to ensure I can pay my bills on maternity. But even that’s a struggle!! And I appreciate not everyone is able to save. Albeit, that leaves me with no spare cash for the month lol.

I do have friends who work for Dept Health Central gov and they get 6 months full pay!! Oh the dream!!

6 months full pay, 13 weeks stat mat.

6 months full + 3 months stat (can take a further 3 months unpaid too) for all. Definitely lucky but nothing but stat is very unusual.

I work in South of Ireland and we get 6 months basic at 250 euro per week no enhancement in my job

I only get statutory where I work

18 weeks full pay them statutory. I work for a university.

6 months full pay, 3 stat and 3 unpaid

Everywhere I've worked has offered an enhanced package when you've been with them for a certain amount of time. Current package is 14w full, 14w half, then stat then final 3 months unpaid. But we are an absolutely enormous company (250k+ employees)

I think usually 6 weeks at least is the lowest I’ve heard. I get three months (teacher) then smp

Ive worked at the same professional firm for 12 years, since there were just 2 of us (now 15) and only get SMP ! So much for any loyalty and it certainly doesn't incentivise you to want to go back !

I worked for a bigish company and only got statutory pay.

I work in a mid sized company 400 ish: 6 months full pay, 13 weeks stat pay.

12wks full pay, 12wks half pay + SMP, 15wks SMP

Amongst friends I have found that large global companies have the best policies (for men too) eg Accenture, Unilever etc

Smaller companies, I have found it varies by sectors eg. in retail / fashion I think nothing is usual (often they don’t even pay sick). I work for a 20 person company in the financial/ investment world and we get 22 weeks full pay. Most companies are now doing 26 weeks full. There’s been a lot of lobbying in my industry to get people to do better policies. Often they just haven’t thought about it.

I work in the non-profit sector for a small org and we get 4 months full pay, 5 months SMP, 3 unpaid leave.

I'll get 8 weeks full pay, 18 weeks half pay + stat, 13 weeks of just stat and then 13 weeks unpaid!

I get 5 months full and the smp (I only became eligible after being with a company a certain amount of time). What's funny is my husband's paternity pay is better than my maternity one - he gets 6 months full 😆

I work in hospitality sector and with my both girls had SSP, so didn't expect any different this time. However my hotel chain offers 13 weeks full pay, 13 half salary and 13 statutory, that's for basick employees, managers get 6 months full pay. I'm not complaining, but need to save up for 6 months or use some of my partner bonus money to top it up lol. I don't even consider sharing maternity with partner even if it was financially beneficial, besides he wouldn't leave for more than 2 weeks for someone to mess up, he works as an area manager. So it it what it is. I strongly believe SSP should be way higher like 80% wages for 9 months, then everyone would be equal, I find different maternity benefits very divisive and unfair.

IME it's uncommon for small employers to pay enhanced maternity pay. Thinking of my friends the only ones who got enhanced were teachers or nhs staff.
I think it depends where you are based really and what you do. I work in an industry where there isn't that much competition where I live to go and work somewhere else doing the same job. If I lived in London though there are a lot of companies I could potentially go and work for so might have a better chance of getting more than statutory.

SMP here 🙄

Not SSP , SMP lol

12 weeks @ 90% then statutory for the remaining 25