just curious - maternity benefits

I was just curious to know what the maternity benefits were on average in the US. I have lived in England for 6 years (originally from Long Island...) and I was wondering what the standard was in the states.

In the UK we get a good deal, my company gives us 6 weeks at 90% of our salary, them we get Statuatory Maternity Pay for a further 20 weeks (thats something like £106 per week, which is around $175) and we can accrue our vacation time, which is 25 days and you can add them onto the end of your maternity leave or take the cash. Also by law the company has to hold your job for one year so you can return at the end of that time.

Just wondering really!

Thanks,
Rachel

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

That's some awesome benefits. It's a shame that most companies in US incombination with the gov't don't offer better maternity leave benefits like other countries do. In the US, benefits vary from company to company and state to state.

At my old company, you automatically got 6 weeks (8 for c-section) disability that is allowed by Illinois and to get paid for those 6 weeks you had to purchase short term disability on your own prior to becoming pg. They did give 3 weeks paid of parental leave and you could add on any vacation that you had accrued. FMLA benefits of 12 weeks ran concurrently with the 6 weeks disability, parental leave and vacation.

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

D@mn! I live in the wrong country...It may be worth the move for the 25 vacation days alone!

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

It is a good deal, but there are always drawbacks, we have lots of holiday time but only have something like 6 Bank Holidays a Year (so thats like the Queen's Birthday..my personal favorite) and if Christmas and Boxing day are on a weekend, we get days off in lieu the following weeks...The cost of living is expensive here (but compared to Long Island, you would probably think its cheap) and everyone says things like Eee By Gum, and Bluddy Heck Guvn'er and there are sheep near my house and I have to drive on the right hand side of the road and use "U"'s in words like Colour and Favourite and it rains all the time like it is now, and the number one drawback of living in England...its now 7.30 pm while in NY its 2.30 in the afternoon

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

The company I work for gives 3 months paid maternity.

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

I would still trade...I only get the 9 market holidays but I would take 6 holidays if I got 5 weeks vacation...

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

Can you stay in the UK? Can I move in with you??

Those benefits are GREAT!!

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

Posted by MrsJ

Can you stay in the UK? Can I move in with you??

Those benefits are GREAT!!

Re: just curious - maternity benefits

Posted by shamrock12472

Posted by MrsJ

Can you stay in the UK? Can I move in with you??

Those benefits are GREAT!!

I think Canada has even better benefits...my neighbor, who is Canadian, said she got a year paid and then can take up to 2 more years at no pay but be guaranteed your job bank.

Re: just curious - maternity benefits