How much maternity leave will you get/take?

I'm in Canada and will take the full 52 weeks off. It's unemployment insured at 55% up to a max of $2100/ month. I also have 4 weeks vacation banked and 4 weeks vacation each year so could have an extra couple of months paid if I need them.

In the US there was a lady governor who is interested in getting women better rights (equal pay, mat leave etc) Elizabeth Warren. Not sure if she'd be running for Presidency (SO many pp, want her too) and it'd def be a monumental step forward if she did get in. At least there's healthcare now, Africa was the only other country in the world with no universal health care system and mat leave is one of those things most developed countries support. Women contribute to a countries GDP wealth when they go back to work so it's in the best interests of politicians to support women & families, holding women's positions, helping with unemployment insurance pay during mat leave rather than preach smaller gov't (= less services especially for women & children). The unemployment insurance is peanuts compared to the amount most women would earn for their country once returning to work. This is why the Scandinavian countries, which also have some of the highest international GDP's for their tiny populations, have figured out if they support women having families, there are more workers in the countries future with all those kids, and women contribute immensely to the economy when they return. Sweden gives 2 years off fully paid, Canada has some catching up to do!
 
We get 18 weeks paid, but we are allowed to take 1 year (unpaid after 18 weeks). I'm taking the 18 weeks but only going back 3 days :)
 
If anyone is interested, I think it's fascinating how much parental leave varies around the world: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parental_leave

xxx
 
I'm in Canada so get a full year. However, it's not paid. We receive a small amount of benefits each week from the government which if you earn a decent income is a huge pay cut. The amount they give you to live on is below the poverty line. To be honest I'd rather get a shorter amount of time off and be paid my full salary - say 6 months.
 
In the U.S. if you want to continue to breast feed but have to go back to work at 4-6 weeks. you have to pump and send it with your kid or you have some employers who are okay with you leaving on your lunch break to feed. The school district I am currently in has a district daycare center for employees children and you can leave your campus and go over there to breast feed and rock your baby. Im a counselor so that is manageable for me, but teachers dont get such an opportunity bc they have classrooms. But in the U.S. childcare centers only accept children 6 weeks and up. So when my paid time off is up at 4 weeks, I cant even put my child in childcare bc he/she wont be old enough. I will stay home without pay either way bc Im not sending my baby that young to childcare. But by 8 weeks my child has to go into childcare.
 
Well said 2have4kids.

Yeah it's true even with that year off in Canada after the top up to 100% it will be hard just at the EI rate.

I don't understand how they haven't fixed this... But I know it's better than it used to be.
 
I am allowed up to 12 weeks after that my job can be taken away. I get 6-8 weeks 60% pay and I have to use vacation leave for the rest, after that it's unpaid. I'll take my full 12 weeks and hope I don't get bed rested (apparently that counts towards the 12 weeks)
 
Well said 2have4kids.

Yeah it's true even with that year off in Canada after the top up to 100% it will be hard just at the EI rate.

I don't understand how they haven't fixed this... But I know it's better than it used to be.

The answer is voting in a gov't that supports women's rights (PC's are too tea Party-ish / Republican and have dismantled many fertility rights along with cracking down on EI, veterans rights, native rights - they've removed so many minority rights) we need to figure out what they're all about and vote wisely next election. Parties that generally benefit corporations rather than people tend to use fear to sell themselves, it's a cheap ploy of controlling ppl and does nothing to move us forward (we don't need to reinvent the wheel, just look to European and Scandinavian countries that support women - their economies are much stronger for it). As well, encouraging companies to top up EI when women are gone on their 50 week mat leave. I wouldn't shorten Canada's mat leave or take steps backwards, rather push for increased Ei funding. Why do women have to take a pay cut for creating families? It's a very sexist notion! We should be past that in this day & age.:growlmad:
 
Exactly, I don't think shorten and provide more funding, just provide more funding. It probably leads to more women not working when you have shorter mat leave, or not being able to breast feed as effectively.

I think at least the first six months should be topped up, that's pretty crucial.

I'm fortunate that it's easy for me to job share and still secure my job so that when I want to go back full time I can, so after mat leave I can easily go part time until I want to go full time again. But so many jobs are also restrictive there too.
 
I'm in the UK and took 6 months for my first and hope to take 1 year for this one. My work has pretty good maternity benefits- 4 months at full pay dropping to 90% for the next 4 and then statutory maternity allowance for the rest.
 
I'm in the UK and will be taking the full 52 weeks I'm entitled to. At the company I work for we still accrue annual leave whilst on maternity leave too so I'll also be taking some annual leave before & after my maternity leave, so I'll actually be off work for around13 months.

The maternity policy for the company I work for offers:

Weeks 1-16 = 100% pay
Weeks 17-26 = 65% pay
Weeks 27-39 = Statutory maternity pay (£138.18 per week)
Weeks 40-52 = no pay

However I have to return to work for 12 months afterwards otherwise I'd have to repay the excess pay I received above statutory maternity pay.
 
With my first I finished two weeks before he came which was a month before his due date. This was purely because I was on my feet all day.
However this time I work term time so will have the 12 weeks of summer off which is great but will finish end of September a month before due date again but as I work on an agency I can leaver later or finish in June. Luckily it will also fall that I have to go back next September if I decide to so will have a whole year off nearly :D
 
I'm currently unemployed but applying for jobs, but i'm hoping to get back to work asap as we need the money. I'm due 1st aug and I'm hoping to go back just weekends in late oct/nov time so my dh can look after baby at weekends whilst I work.
 
12 weeks. I may work around holidays or half days for the last 4 weeks. My husband isn't so happy about it since I'll use all my leave and won't be getting paid for the last 5 weeks, but I don't care.

I figure I've worked since I was 15, and I'll be working until I retire, so I'm taking time out for me and our baby. Plus, he's afraid to take more than a week or 2 because his boss is a certified jerk.

Good news is my MIL is our caregiver, so baby will be in a safe/loving environment when I go back to work.
 
I'll be taking at least a year off (govt pays 18 wks then we will live off savings). Them I'm hoping to only work 2 days a week (I'll work something out with my bosses) :)
 
I've had this on my pinterest page for a while, it goes along with this article:
https://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/139828/american_women_deserve_paid_maternity
I agree with the sentiments of the author, American women need to start being treated better, their women deserve mat leave as well!
matleave.jpg
 
Just a note the UK is incorrect on that flyer, we get 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay. I entirely agree with the sentiments that the US get an awful deal and something needs to change xx
 
Also I think that's misleading, the "50" is majority EI pay. I can't believe how low it is overall though around the world...
 
Infographics are pretty and make info easy to read BUT as a graphic designer myself the main issue with them is the info isn't necessarily 100% accurate (should also be cited) and when things change they don't get updated. It's probably more like 90% accurate this case, more useful as a quick visual of who ranks the best/worst internationally for supporting women, children, & families.
 
It's inaccurate, but I think the main point came across pretty well. Everyone gets a pretty good maternity leave, but us. :dohh::cry:

I'm glad I have a female boss, she's been really understanding and approved my 12 week leave today. It's be best I'll get, so I'll take it!
 

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