Can I ask what you would consider to be a good deal for maternity benefits?

[maretta]

I'm asking this as an employer.
We have our first pregnant employee. I like her and I won't to be fair but at the same time I don't want to be spending money unless we have to.

Can you tell me what you'd expect as a reasonable deal.

Surely you juat offer her what is the law states?

I received full pay for 8 weeks, then down to 75% for 8 weeks, then 50% for 10 weeks and then stat mat pay after that.

I think it was very reasonable! However, I think anything over statutory is a bonus as not that many companies pay above stat for the duration.

Firstly find out what you are legally obliged to give her and see what else you can afford to top up with (in terms of extra weeks on full pay).

Also - think outside of monetary issues, I would have appreciated being allowed to work from home once a week, but they wouldn't go for it. It costs you nothing but may be a big benefit for her.

I think we'd like to give a bit more than statutory.

She can work from home already is she likes. We're good like that.

I don't think full pay is necessary, you don't have travle costs etc when you're not working. I think I'd rather have longer on 90% or 75%

Can I ask what your motivation is for giving her more that stat? Is it because you are loyal to her and want to show your dedication where you can. And, if so, will you expect the same dedication in return? I mean if you voluntarily double her income, and then she resigns after you have paid out, will you feel annoyed about it ? (I would)

If so, perhaps you could give a bit extra and make it conditional that she return to work. Say, we'll give you an additional six weeks at 50% pay, but if you don't come back to work at the end of your Mat leave then you will have to pay it back. I would have been very happy if someone had offered me this. As it happens I got stat min. of 6 weeks at 90% of my pay.

Oh yes, my additional mat leave came with the contractual obligation to return for nine months or I pay it all back!

In the NHS (in my SIL's trust anyway) youget 90% for six weeks (which is statutory anyway) and then half pay for the rest of the nine months (it was six months at the time but is nine now). If you don't go back to work (or don't stay for at least a year after going back) you have to pay back the difference between what you got and statutory.

Seems very fair, even generous, and made their finances a lot easier than mine which was statutory only.

I think anything over the statutory is a bonus - our company offers 12 weeks at full pay, 6 weeks at half pay, remainder at SMP which I think is fair - they are a big company and can afford to be generous. They also allow you to accrue paid holiday for the full 12 months (I think statutory is for only the 6 months of OML).

You have to pay the extra back if you don't return which encourages staff retention.

If you are a small company and can't afford to splash out perhaps think about creative ways to help "stretch" maternity leave, such as allowing employees to work from home in the last few weeks of pregnancy, to make it easier for them to continue to work up to the last minute.

I have full pay for 6 months then statutory maternity for the next 3 months. I can take the option of a non-paid career break for up to 5 years.

I appreceiate this is very unusual and i am very lucky but it has made all the difference in terms of my loyalty as a worker and my willingness to go the extra mile.

Agree with Ewe - anything above statutory is a bonus these days. If you can afford extra then give it to her.

Full pay or percentage - it depends on the total amount you intend to give her.
If 100% on 4 weeks is the same amount as 90% for 8 weeks, then its neither here nor there. Personally I'd rather have the 100% -babies are very expensive and all your costs are upfront.

From a business perspective, you are setting a precedent so consider if you can finance all your female staff being on maternity leave

wow - arti that's brilliant!

And a really good point about unpaid break - that is one thing I would love my employers to offer, as I actually lost money for the first year I went back to work, as childcare is so expensive in our neck of the woods. I only went back because I knew long-term I wanted to stay with the company.

It would be great if they would have allowed me to take an extra year unpaid and return when DS was 2 and in a cheaper childcare bracket.

I worked for a small company and had 100% for 8 weeks, 50% for four weeks and statutory after that. Also, after I'd been back at work for two months, I got a bonus of 50% of a month's salary. Also good for retention without the potential stress of paying back.

I only got stat min.

I've heard of other people getting a bonus after 3 months or so back equal to x months wages at 50% or whatever which would have been really nice.

The other thing to bear in mind maretta, is that you may put yourself in a position of having to give same package to future pregnant employees, even if you don't value them as highly. Whilst this may not be an issue now, you perhaps can't afford to saddle yourself with too much potential commitment in the current economic climate.

From a business point of view, I think you need to establish how important it is to you that the employee returns to work and build a package accordingly to try and make this a viable proposition for her, be that additional pay to be repaid if no return, increased flexibility etc. I don't think anyone would expect anything out of the goodness of your heart.

I get 3 months full pay 3 months half pay then statutory. I agree with the other posters who said you have to make a business decision as to what she is entitled to and what you can afford to pay her, and also consider whether you want to add golden handcuffs to the deal, whereby she has to work for a certain amount of time after her maternity leave otherwise she will need to pay back.

BTW my companies harmonised contract for new employees is only for 6 weeks full pay 6 weeks half pay and then statutory.

It's even worse in many other countries (eg USA - nil maternity pay)

One idea which is used quite often in the industry I am in is to give statutory whilst ON leave, and then to give a sizeable bonus three or six months after they return to work.