Has anyone negotiated better maternity pay?

[Bunny44]

I've got an offer for a new job I was going to accept, except they company just revealed they pay about 50% less enhanced maternity leave than competitors I was interviewing with. They're offering 12 weeks 100% pay in total (including stat), my previous company was 26 weeks and competitors are 18-20 weeks.

They asked me to sign as they want me to start as soon as possible but I would like another child in the next few years, I'm the primary earner in my household and this is really putting me off, especially when I have other companies interested. This role is paying similar to the other roles but there are several aspects I prefer about this company.

Anyway someone I know suggested I negotiate and pointed out many people in my industry negotiate pension, so why not also parental leave?

As you can imagine I'm wary about raising it but the person said they can't withdraw the offer based on me asking that. Thoughts or experiences welcome!

Yes, they can't withdraw the offer, but what are you going to do if they say no?

I would never want a prospective employer to think I was planning to take maternity leave. I would rather negotiate on salary tbh.

They're already offering too of their range for the level of role. There's part of me which wishes we didn't feel like we can't ask. Do you think men would feel the same about paternity?

I guess probably still take the job if the others haven't come through yet. It might make me leave if a better role with better maternity came up though.

You are seeking to vary the contract terms though and they don’t have to agree to this. If you have not accepted the job, there is no contract yet. So you can negotiate. If you don’t accept their terms and negotiation fails, you don’t have a contract. I think you should read ACAS advice on contracts. You would expect to walk away if you don’t get what you want and the same applies to them. Why would they make you a special case and what about other women workers? What should they do about them? It’s a very expensive policy change for them and why would you expect this?

I did
I was already working in the Company and was offered a promotion
Asked for additional maternity pay and got it
Stayed there another 15 years
Tbere was a staff shortage in my area so they knew I would move elsewhere if I didn’t get it
Also asked to go part time after baby was born
What a hullabaloo that was,cracks me up when I see all the flexibility now

I would ask for what you want

Asking for part time is normal. Asking for different maternity leave and pay affects all the other women who might have dc in the company. It should not be agreed for one woman and not everyone else. It’s clearly unfair on them.

It’s not discriminatory
And people are allowed to negotiate better terms and conditions for themselves

I think this would be difficult to negotiate a potential scenario when you aren’t even pregnant and haven’t actually started the role.

It would be like someone saying “I want more sick pay than statutory you offer”, or “I want another 5 days annual leave” - I can’t see this happening.

Hopefully you will get pregnant but there is also the chance that you might not. You may also have changed employers in the next few years too.

Also organisations have a “maternity policy” they can’t make the rules up as they go along, what they do for one employee they have to do for another. This is the same for sick pay, annual leave and any other benefits.

Employers can and do offer different benefits as long as they are not in themselves discriminatory

I'd take this further.
How does it work for the whole company not just women with kids?

How is it going to be funded? The cost of full maternity pay is massive for a business so what's being cut to pay for it? Training, pay rises, other benefits. that impacts absolutely everyone.

Good lord, surely negotiating a pay increase (which affects all sorts of associated increases) is no more expensive to the company than negotiating mat pay???
OP, if you are torn you could go back to them and say that you are very interested in the job, but the package is making it a hard decision for you, as your current employer offers xyz (is it just mat pay or other differences?) and can they match your current package (with the salary they’ve offered!)?

I’ve negotiated annual leave, my sector usually has very good leave provision and moving organisations would have cost me 5 days. I asked either that they increase my salary to reflect the loss of leave or increase my leave allowance. They agreed to increase my leave - a sector where recruitment is hard and I have in demand skills and experience.

As far as I’m concerned they recruit to a full package of remuneration and benefits and any of that is up for negotiation.

I've come across many people who've negotiated higher pension contributions from standard terms so why would parental leave be different?

Yes what you're saying isn't really valid in a large private company. They are a multi billion dollar company so one woman taking a month extra mat leave is a drop in the ocean.

People do negotiate enhanced pension contributions and annual leave though.

I think you can negotiate unpaid extra leave or part time working but companies with policies DO have to consider everyone else if the handbook specifying terms of employment is part of the contract. Usually it is. A firm agreeing to one person getting loads more paid leave would usually be seen as unfair to others.

but it sets a precedent. Why are you exceptional? Why should they fund you being off for a year and somebody to cover your work? Take unpaid leave and then take a sabbatical like people with respect for their employers and colleagues do. And be grateful for your family too.

or go back to work when mat pay stops and let DH parent

Uh and why should some people get higher salaries, higher pensions or more PTO. I asked for people with experience not people who are happy to live with the status quo. I'm the primary earner in my family and I have specialist technical and linguistic skills so yes I probably am exceptional.

When baby is less than 3 months old and I'm breastfeeding and have to travel abroad? No thanks

@Tortephant hmmm, yes women should be grateful to their kind and bountiful employers, who put themselves right out to offer them any leave at all, and who do you think you are, to deserve better? The patriarchy is alive and well, I see!
OP, if trying to negotiate reveals attitudes like Tort’s, then you will have the information you need to turn down the job!!!

@Bunny44 Because salaries are evaluated in terms of what’s expected in the job and seniority and qualifications needed etc. You seem to think you are better than other employees but you don’t seem commercially aware and certainly have never run a business. I’d just take one of the other jobs you will inevitably get offered! I’d be wary of employing you and upsetting my other staff.

I do not live with the status quo at all. The exact opposite. I challenge convention all the time, and I recruit on attitude.
I’m talking from the perspective of a business owner.

Yes friend of mine did this with 3. DH travelled with her and the kids whilst she was breastfeeding. He had his own successful career too, that simply took a back seat in the interest of her career at that point.