Anyone working for E&Y - Maternity Leave policy

[0405vr]

Hello,
Sorry if this is the wrong board for this but hope someone can help.
I'm in the final stages for a job at E&Y and was wondering about their maternity policy.
Me and OH want to try for number 2 over the summer to keep the age gap to under 3 years so I wanted to know if E&Y have any rules on qualifying periods for maternity pay etc. I don't want to outright ask their recruiter about this ;-) Would be great if someone working for E&Y could let me know. It's a long shot but thought I give it a try!
Thanks!

If you are talking about Ernst and Young, their site says:

Maternity & Paternity

The firm has recently revised its maternity package and provides a range of support, both financial and non financial, to expectant and new parents. This includes:
-Increased maternity pay during maternity leave ? up to 39 weeks paid leave
-Provision of childcare vouchers for 12 months on return from maternity leave
-Development of a parent network
-Promotion of support from counselling managers
-Ongoing promotion of flexible working
-he option to purchase childcare vouchers while making tax and NI savings
-Paid paternity leave

Thanks - that's helpful....didn't find that when I was looking on the site!
So now I only need to know if there is a qualifying period for the 39 weeks full paid leave. Given the wording it sounds like they're staggering it depending on how long you've been with the firm

Maybe anyone knows? Thanks!

I read an old thread, which suggested it was:

Full pay for 6 weeks
50% notional pay + SMP, or 90% of notional pay if this is less, for weeks 7-22
SMP for weeks 23-39 (or 90% of notional pay if this is less)
0 for weeks 40-52

Link

Hi there -I have had a look at it says you will need 26 weeks of continuous service by the qualifying week (this occurs 15 weeks before exp week of childbirth). HTH.

0405vr you seem to have misread 39 weeks paid leave as 39 weeks full paid leave. I'm not saying that it isn't fully paid, but I am not sure that it is either.

Yes - it is def not 39 weeks of full paid leave! It is 6 weeks of 90% of your salary, the remaining 33 weeks are standard SMP (£135.45).

You need to find someone actually working there at the moment to check the internal site, as these things change all the time in the big4.

For example, IIRC one of the big4 only offers enhanced payments to staff who have served a full year before going on leave - if not then the normal statutory levels apply. I think some the big4 also offer (or at least used to offer) a 'bonus' that was paid to mothers in their salary payment in the 6th month after returning from leave - there has certainly been a shift away from the blanket paying of enhanced benefits to all towards one that rewards mums for returning. I think there was also a time where they helped cover cost of childcare although it might just be loans now.

I think the general view is that the big4 packages are pretty generous for the private sector but you may not benefit if you fall PG quite quickly after arriving.

You might get some up to date answers at big4gossip.com

Cheers all - at my current employer I get 18 weeks full pay and 21 weeks SMP (which is a lot better than what the law requires) so want to make sure that a change would not make me worse off.
I have asked the recruiter for the maternity policy...if they still want to hire me now then all the better.

I do work there and was checking the latest policy. Sounds like you get a good deal at your current job!

Hello 'MyMamaToldMe',

Do you still work for Ernst & Young? I know they recently changed their maternity pay policy and now pay 14 weeks at full pay + 12 weeks half pay. Could you please confirm how long an employee needs to work at E&Y to be eligible for this enhanced maternity pay?

Thanks you!

Sorry for re igniting an old link but just wondering if anyone had any details on the qualifying period for maternity pay at EY?

Thinking about accepting an offer that would mean I wouldn't have a weekly plane commute (as I do with my current role) but am 5 weeks pregnant!