Maternity Leave

Comparisons

Comparisons of maternity and parental leave policies are often made by examining scope, compensation, and duration leave. Government support for maternity leave varies across nations and may take the form of protected job leave and/or financial support. Maternity and parental leave policies have been established in over 150 countries. Paid leave is often categorized as a social insurance program financed through payroll taxes.

In recent years, maternity leave policies have been extended to include parental leave, which allows for either parent to care for a new child. Austria, Germany, Norway, and Sweden offer two years of protected leave for a two-parent family. Greece, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and Japan offer slightly over one year of protected leave, while Australia, Canada, and Denmark provide one year of job-protected parental leave.

In addition to job protection, many countries also provide paid leave. Sweden provides one year of parental leave at 80 percent of salary. In most of Canada, paid maternity benefits are available to the birth mother or surrogate mother for up to 15 weeks if she has worked 600 hours in the last 52 [Page 730]weeks or since her last claim. The benefit rate is 55 percent of average insured earnings up to a year maximum of $42,300. Parental benefits are available for up to 35 weeks and may be shared between partners. Since 2006, residents of Quebec are covered under a different plan, which includes benefits up to 75 percent of average weekly income and up to $62,000 total.

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, Norway, Japan, and Spain offer at least six months of paid parental leave. Finland provides paid leave for the mother during the first 195 days, a minimum of 18 days for the father, and remaining days may be split for a total of 263 days. France provides 29 weeks of paid parental leave; Japan provides 26 weeks of paid maternity leave based on percentage of income; Spain provides 27 weeks of paid maternity leave; and Germany provides 14 weeks of paid maternity leave and extends parental childcare leave until 18 months.

Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, and Portugal provide between four and six months of paid parental leave. Denmark provides 20 weeks of paid maternity leave, and within the first eight years of the child's life, each parent may take 13–56 weeks of paid leave at a percentage of salary. Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland offer paid leave for four months or less. The Netherlands offers 16 weeks of paid maternity leave and an additional six months of unpaid parental leave for either parent. The United Kingdom provides six weeks of paid maternity leave, an additional 12 weeks of leave at a flat rate, and 13 weeks of unpaid leave available for use until the child turns 5 years of age.

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