Maternity leave

Maternity leave is a period of absence from work granted to a mother before and after the birth of her child. It is usually created from a mixture of sick leave, vacation, holiday time, personal days, short-term disability, unpaid family leave time, or any other types of leave. The length of maternity leave varies from country to country and from state to state.

Definition[edit | edit source]

Maternity leave, also known as parental leave, family leave, or pregnancy leave, is an employee benefit available in almost all countries. The term "parental leave" may include maternity, paternity, and adoption leave. The United States, however, does not mandate employers to offer paid maternity leave.

History[edit | edit source]

The first maternity leave legislation was passed in Germany in 1883. Other countries soon followed, with Sweden introducing a parental insurance scheme in 1891 and France introducing "congé de maternité" in 1909. The United Kingdom introduced statutory maternity leave in 1975, following the European Union's directive on the improvement of the safety and health at work of pregnant workers.

Legislation by country[edit | edit source]

Different countries have different laws and regulations regarding maternity leave, which can vary in terms of length, pay, and protection of the worker's position.

United States[edit | edit source]

In the United States, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) requires employers to provide employees with 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

United Kingdom[edit | edit source]

In the United Kingdom, women are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity, or adoption, leave of which 39 weeks is paid. Maternity leave is paid at 90% of average weekly earnings for the first six weeks, then £151.97 or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks.

Canada[edit | edit source]

In Canada, maternity leave is a combination of pregnancy leave and parental leave, which totals to 50 weeks in most provinces. The leave is paid at a rate of 55% of the employee's average insurable weekly earnings up to a maximum amount.

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