Maternity leave / pay / benefits

[Mabelann]

I work for a firm that offers considerably about industry standard in terms of pay and all benefits to its staff at all levels. Except maternity which is statutory minimum!

I know that most employers don’t publish their maternity policies to the general public so it’s almost impossible to compare, but I’m wondering if there are any unofficial resources out there where individuals have shared what their maternity leave policies are to some kind of unofficial database. I feel like this is the sort of thing that might exist... I just want to work out what I should expect in my industry so I can ask for it!

*should say above not about in the first line

In my experience most companies these days only pay statutory maternity same as with sick pay

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/813059-Maternity-Pay-what-does-your-employers-offer

We only have statutory too. Only people I know who get more is public sector bar one or two outliers.

Are you looking for a new job and negotiating your contract or are you already employed there? If the latter I don't think it matters what anyone else pays tbh...

I work for the council and this is my second lot of maternity leave. They pay slightly more for the first 12 weeks which is great but SMP is never fun for anyone. I have had:-
First 6 weeks - 90% normal monthly pay
Following 12 weeks - 50% normal pay plus SMP
Every month thereafter - SMP only

I’ve worked where I am for ages. I’m asking them to review their mat pay policy to basically make it better! I think SMP is rubbish so I just wondered how to research what others do so I can use that as a starting point.

Thanks @Yellowfiledredfilled but that thread is from 2009 and hopefully employers have become a little more generous on maternity issues in the last 11 years. A lot has happened that makes things better for working mums, including shared parental leave, in that time.

I work for a firm that offers considerably about industry standard in terms of pay and all benefits to its staff at all levels. Except maternity which is statutory minimum!

You can ask but I think it's unusual for them to be reviewed in that way. Did you mean in your OP that you get paid above industry standard? If so that should make up for lack of maternity pay.

Things have come a long way, you're right, and that includes the leave to leave for both parents and statutory pay. Anything else is a bonus but I don't think you can expect it.

You might find out more starting a thread asking on MN asking people to share what their mat entitlement is and their industry. That might give you an idea but not necessarily evidence to go to your employer with.