Maternity And Paternity Leave

If you are pregnant for the first time, it can often be hard to imagine how things will be when baby comes along. One of the biggest problems for new moms and dads is the question of maternity and paternity leave – who is entitled to it and how long does it last? No new parent wants to rush back to work after having a baby, but in some cases the options are very limited. Let’s take a look at some examples of parental leave, paid and unpaid, to get a clearer picture of parents’ rights.

Editor's note: Please make sure you investigate the specific situation in your country carefully!

Maternity Leave

Maternity leave is classified as time taken away from work by a woman just before, and for a period after, the birth of her baby. This can be either paid or unpaid, and is sometimes extended to those families adopting a baby. Across the world, most western countries have some form of standardised maternity leave, with Sweden offering the best benefits – 16 months paid leave for both parents – and, surprisingly, America having some of the worst.

In fact, America (along with Australia), has no paid parental leave at all. Most employed women who find themselves pregnant have to use a combination of sick leave, vacation, unpaid ‘family leave’, and what is known as ‘short-term disability’ to cover the time they need away from work to have a baby. In those companies who do provide extra benefits, it is still standard for women to be allowed only six weeks paid leave after the birth. The situation is complicated by the fact that each state has a different policy.

In Britain, women are entitled to one year of maternity leave, with 39 weeks paid and the rest unpaid. The first six weeks of the leave is paid at 90% of their salary, the remainder at a fixed rate. For those who are not working, but have worked for a certain number of weeks in the previous few years, the state offers a benefit called Maternity Allowance, paid for nine months. Contact your local Job Centre Plus for more details.

Paternity Leave

Leave for fathers is a relatively new phenomenon, with many countries offering nothing more than a couple of weeks unpaid leave for new dads. Britain pays fathers a fixed amount (currently £112.75) for two weeks. Again, Sweden is the most generous, offering 16 months of paid leave, and the United States among the meanest, with zero paid leave. Fathers usually have to use up their vacation days if they want to spend time with their new family and help out at home.

Know Your Rights

Wherever you live, and whoever you work for, it pays to know what you are entitled to as soon as possible into your pregnancy. Some countries, such as Bulgaria, offer pregnant women benefits in the form of 100% paid sick leave before the birth (a whopping 45 days in this case); others offer flexible ‘family’ leave. Often the qualifying conditions are very complicated, so talk to your company’s human resources department as soon as you know you are expecting.

And if you are still in the planning stage, think about this – benefits vary dramatically from company to company (especially in the United States of America), so it may be worth your while doing a little research and working for a better employer for 12 months before you try to conceive!

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Read our Diary Of A New Mum and discover what happens when Jessica-Ann comes home from the hospital and during her first year at home. This fun read is perfect for new mums and experienced mums alike! New episodes weekly.
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