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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Maternity pay - how generous is your company?

62 replies

EvieBear · 06/01/2009 19:25

Hi all, I was shocked today when I told HR and my boss that I was pregnant and they told me that they don't top up the statutory maternity pay at all. That means I will get 90% for 6 weeks and then the £117 for the rest of the time I have off. I was so upset by this, and wanted to ask you guys how common it is? I work for a US technology company who have done very well in recent times, and expected more than this from them.
What does everyone else get in terms of maternity pay?? I'm very interested to hear if this is common or not!

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babyc · 06/01/2009 21:15

Council run schools aren't that generous LitleMonkeys - you get 2weeks full, 4 weeks 90%, 12 weeks 50% then 26 weeks at SMP. That is standard as set out in the Burgundy Book(which state schools follow). I'm not complaining, but its no 3 months full pay!

ja9 · 06/01/2009 21:21

as a teacher in independent and state (1 for each pg!) i got 3 mths full followed by 6 mths smp.

ford give 1 yr full pay... is that who you work for insy?

BikeRunSki · 06/01/2009 21:34

18 weeks full pay.
21 SMP.
Job left open for the rest of the year, but no pay. I am taking this time as banked leave, which I have accumulated over the last 4 years.
Public sector.

Took big pay cut when I moved from private sector, but was a lifestyle choice in which I exchanged £ for time and flexibility. Maternity leave provision is just the start, there is no way I could have imagined mat leave and being a working mum in any of my old jobs.

babylove123 · 06/01/2009 21:41

SMP - and it sucks! My company is american owned and they get 12 weeks unpaid so i couldnt complain really considering i am having 39 at SMP!!!

Tangle · 06/01/2009 22:11

SMP - I'd been there 9 years and was working in a professional role.

Not that more money wouldn't be nice, but it did simplify things - at least there wasn't a goldne handcuff so that didn't factor into the decision of whether to become a SAHM or go back to work.

jbakedbean · 06/01/2009 22:32

I work in recruitment and many companies especially US and smaller companies only pay statutory, I get 9 weeks @ 90% and then smp which is about a third of what I pay in tax and NI at the minute every month so I do feel very irratated that the amount I contribute is not taken into consideration. So I for one am going to have to watch the pennies very closely. I think it's easier if you have a partner who is the main bread winner but when you are it certainly doesn't make life easy.

A lot of bigger companies have great benefits similar to the public sector and civil service such as 6 months full pay but they are getting fewer and far between. I'd always advise people that when looking for a new job they check out the benefits package as it can be worth a lot, whether for health, redundancy, maternity, sickness, pension and holidays as losing a little on salary is often more than made up in benefits.

wish you all good luck x

EyeballsintheSky · 06/01/2009 22:37

Six months full pay, three months SMP and three months unpaid. Add to that 5 weeks of full paid annual leave and I've been off for thirteen months. About to go back three days a weeks but only intend to be there about a year before I (hopefully) go off again for the next one. I feel bad about it but I have to work in the meantime and, at 37 I can't hang around on the reproducing side either.

sb6699 · 06/01/2009 22:38

I had been in my job for 6 years and got 1 year full pay - it was a very small company (only 3 of us including the boss) which meant that basically my boss gave it to me as a gift out of his profits!

I think that a smaller company will treat you better as you normally know the decision-maker personally and they are more likely reward hard work.

AnybodyHoHoHomeMcFly · 06/01/2009 22:38

18 weeks full pay then the rest SMP. Also accrue leave for the full year so that's an extra 5 weeks paid leave. I do count myself v lucky.

aidansyummymummy · 06/01/2009 22:46

six months full pay, 3 mths SMP and 3 mths unpaid (which I didnt take)

Heebychick · 07/01/2009 10:30

Blimey insywinsy lucky you!!! i wanna work there!

I only get SMP - never heard of anything more from friends etc

america · 07/01/2009 10:42

13 weeks full pay and then SMP.

EsmeWeatherwax · 07/01/2009 10:49

2 months full pay, four months half pay plus SMP, then three months SMP, last three months are unpaid. Basically its near enough full pay (I work PT) for the first six months. And I accrue all holidays and public holidays too. I have to go back for three months though.

unmadebed · 07/01/2009 11:20

6 weeks full pay, 12 weeks half pay then SMP but once you return to work (University) you get one extra week's pay each month for ten months (claculated on pre-preg earnings).

HensMum · 07/01/2009 11:30

I really want to know where insywinsy works!

I got 12 weeks full pay, 12 weeks half pay then SMP. I'm really lucky as I'm on a TUPE contract having transferred from another organisation, and the company I currently work only offers SMP.
I also get 2 weeks paid parental leave as part of the 13 week allowance.

insywinsyspider · 07/01/2009 12:28

I work for a big car company - but you've all seen on the news how they are doing at the moment so it really won't last! (female work force is 3% and obviously not all of those have mat leave so I think thats how they've afforded it in the past)

fleacircus · 07/01/2009 12:31

I work in the public sector - I get 6wks at 90% and then I can choose, 15wks full pay and then nothing (+SMP), or 30wks at 50% (+SMP).

RGPargy · 07/01/2009 12:36

EvieBear - my company is the same. It's a shock to the bank balance, that's for sure! Think it's fairly common as it goes!

trixymalixy · 07/01/2009 12:50

SMP and that is a FTSE 100 companies maternity terms.

i do get a bonus of about £125 a month when I return to work for 2 years, would rather have the money while on mat leave though!

RGPargy · 07/01/2009 12:54

Oh i get a bonus too, which would have worked out at £500 every 6 months but as i've returned part time, it's pro-rata so only about £300 every six months for 18 months. My last payment will be in August 09.

kingfix · 07/01/2009 17:50

EvieBear- thanks for that (Mat allowance) so I'm no worse off really!

Cosmogirl · 07/01/2009 20:08

Not very. I get the basic 90 per cent for 6 weeks SMP for rest up to 9 months. They do an occupational scheme 3 months full 3 months half pay 3 months SMP but you have to have been working there for two years before you go on maternity leave. I have only been there a year. I thought with most companies it was a year before you qualified for the enhanced scheme and because there was nothing in the handbook about maternity leave I couldn't find that out.

laumiere · 08/01/2009 15:13

I work for a London council and get 6 weeks at 90%, 12 weeks at half pay and the rest of the period on SMP.

sobloodystupid · 08/01/2009 15:22

26 weeks full pay, plus about 4 months of unpaid leave...

scubagroover · 08/01/2009 15:38

I get 10 weeks full pay and 16 weeks half pay then SMP. I'm a lawyer in a City firm and I get the feeling that this is reasonably generous.

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