Conversation, ideas and events for parents in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County

Does your job pay for your maternity leave?

A friend of mine works at a place that doesn't compensate for maternity leave. This isn't so unusual, since many jobs don't cover for maternity leave either, and let the state cover it solely. But this friend's job is willing to change their policy to match what other jobs are paying their pregnant workers when they go on leave. So I'm asking around to help her out, and because I really am curious as to what other jobs offer in pregnancy benefits.

Does your job pay you when you take maternity leave? What's the compensation percentage rate?

Tags: maternity compensation, maternity leave

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Permalink Reply by Zoe Neely on January 16, 2013 at 6:28pm

I've never been employed by a company or other entity that paid for maternity leave. I was able to use any accrued sick leave and vacation time and apply for State Disability Insurance (when I was employed by an entity that participated in the system) and/or my private short-term disability insurance benefits. My employer never paid anything, though, all they did was comply with state and federal law to allow me to take time off (without pay) with a guarantee that my position would be held for me.

I don't know if this helps, but in other countries that have laws mandating paid maternity leaves, the compensation is anywhere from about one-half to two-thirds of a person's earnings, paid for anywhere from six months to three years.

(Three years!)