Maternity leave in the U.S. is a patchwork at best. On average, working moms get around 10 weeks off — paid and unpaid combined — but it's a complete lottery depending on where you work.
The state of California offers qualifying employees up to 8 weeks of paid maternity leave. This benefit is funded through the state's employee-paid payroll taxes and covers approximately 60-70 percent of a person's weekly salary.
Standard Parental Benefits: Pay 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $668 per week as of 2024. These benefits can be paid for up to 35 weeks. Up to 40 weeks can be shared between parents, but one parent can't receive more than 35 weeks.
Paid parental leave under FEPLA is limited to 12 work weeks and may be used during the 12-month period beginning on the date of the birth or placement involved.
One study found increasing the length of maternity leave from under eight weeks to eight to 12 weeks showed the biggest improvement in mental health, and that increasing the length of leave by one week could reduce depressive symptoms by 6 to 7 percent.
26 weeks. Better Life Lab recommends 26 weeks of paid leave for maternal health and wellbeing. Time when pain still limits physical activity for women following C-section deliveries or assisted vaginal deliveries compared to those who had spontaneous deliveries. Full postpartum recovery period length.
Statutory Maternity Pay ( SMP ) is paid for up to 39 weeks. You get: 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks.
You can get Maternity Allowance for up to 39 weeks. You can apply for Maternity Allowance as soon as you've been pregnant for 26 weeks. Payments can start any time between the 11th week before your baby is due and the day after the baby is born.
The sweet spot? The International Labor Organization calls for at least 18 weeks of maternity leave and no less than 14 weeks. UNICEF recommends a full six months, or 24 weeks, as the ideal amount of time new parents should receive. And even the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends six months.
Mandatory Paid Family and Medical Leave
Thirteen states-California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington-and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to create paid family and medical leave programs.
For the first six weeks, SMP is paid at 90% of your normal earnings in the reference period. For the next 33 weeks, it is paid at the same 90% of your normal earnings or the flat rate, whichever is lower.
The most common option for employers is to offer full pay for the first six weeks or more when the employee takes maternity leave, instead of 90% of their average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first six weeks.
Six weeks is the standard amount of time covered for short-term disability and pregnancy, but some plans allow more time if you've had complications or a C-section delivery. Many also cover pregnancy bed rest before birth.
You can start your maternity leave any day from 11 weeks before your due date. Your maternity leave will start earlier than the date you pick if: your baby comes early, or. you're off work with an illness related to your pregnancy, and this happens in the 4 weeks before the week of your due date.
Covered Federal employees are entitled to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid* FMLA leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the following purposes: the birth of a son or daughter and care of the newborn (leave must be used no later than the date that is 12 months after the birth);
- All covered females regardless of civil status, employment status, and the legitimacy of her child, shall be granted one hundred five (105) days maternity leave with full pay, and an additional fifteen (15) days with full pay in case the female worker qualifies as a solo parent under Republic Act No.
Since the enactment of the Act in 1993, six states and U.S. territories (California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico) have passed legislation to provide their residents with paid family and medical leave through temporary disability programs (7).
Time taken off work due to pregnancy complications can be counted against the 12 weeks of family and medical leave. Military family leave provisions, first added to the FMLA in 2008, afford FMLA protections specific to the needs of military families.
If you haven't yet taken your full 52 weeks, you may be able to extend your maternity leave to a year. Speak to your employer to discuss extending your maternity leave to the full 52 weeks.
Paid maternity leave typically offers 60% to 80% of full-time pay. Only 27% of civilian workers had access to paid family leave in 2023. Federal workers receive 12 weeks of paid family leave. The average company-provided paid maternity leave is 10.5 weeks.