How much time can moms around the world take off work? Here is the best and worst paid maternity leave by country, and what you need to know before becoming pregnant or if you are already pregnant.

We also dive into maternity leave for entrepreneurs, the best companies’ maternity leave policies, and some tips for returning to work following maternity leave.

Here is a breakdown of paid maternity in different countries, and what it means for you, your family, and your career.

Everything You Need to Know About Maternity Leave In Various Countries

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Paid Maternity Leave By Country

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More than 120 Nations provide paid maternity leave which includes most industrial nations, with the exceptions of a few that may surprise you.

Here is a breakdown of statutory maternity leave in various countries, looking primarily at the duration and pay.

Bulgaria: 58.6 at 90% pay
Norway: 54 weeks at 94% pay
Sweden: 34,28 weeks at 77% pay
United Kingdom: 26 weeks at roughly 90% pay
Iceland: 26 Weeks at 80% pay
Ireland: 26 weeks at a flat rate of €274 per week
India: 26 weeks at 100% pay
New Zealand: 26 weeks at 100% pay
Italy: 21.7 weeks at 80% pay
Poland: 20 weeks at 70%
Australia: 18 weeks at 42% pay
Columbia: 18 weeks at 100% pay
Greece: 17 weeks at 100% pay
South Africa: 17,3 weeks at roughly 48% pay
Brazil: 17,1 weeks at 100% pay
Austria: 16 weeks, 100% pay
Spain: 16 weeks at 100% pay
Canada: 15 weeks at 55% pay
Netherlands: 16 weeks at 100% pay
France: 16 weeks at 90% pay
Singapore: 16 weeks at 90%
Germany: 14 weeks at 100% pay
Estonia: 14 weeks at minimum wage
Japan: 14 weeks at roughly 67% pay
China: 14 weeks at roughly 80% pay
Switzerland: 14 weeks at 80% pay
Mexico: 12 weeks at 100% pay
Nigeria: 12 weeks at 50% pay
Dubai: 12 weeks at 70% pay
America: 12 weeks at 0% pay

Sources: https://www.gov.uk/employers-maternity-pay-leave, https://www.eurodev.com/blog/maternity-leave-europe.

Paid Maternity Leave By Country: Key Takeaways

Europe unequivocally leads the way when it comes to maternity leave, especially in Nordic countries like Norway and Sweden. Singapore is the highest-ranking non-European nation in the study.

America offers no statutory paid maternity leave but permits employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Some states in America have their own paid maternity leave policies such as California, Colorado, Connecticut, and New Jersey, among others. In Germany, you can extend your maternity leave for up to a year which will be unpaid, but you can still receive a parental allowance.

Some Countries Offer Optional, Additional Maternity Leave

Some countries offer additional, optional maternity leave on top of their statutory allowance. For example:

Austria offers 100% pay for 16 weeks, and 73.1% pay for an optional 44 weeks.
The United Kingdom also offers an additional 26 weeks at reduced pay.
Sweden’s paternity leave is 480 days, with each partner entitled to 240 days.

Paternity Leave And Transferable Parental Leave

Parental leave often applies to both caregivers, with some countries favoring the primary caregiver. Here are some examples of transferable parental and paternity leave:

In Sweden, both parents are entitled to 240 days’ leave with 90 of those days being marked as a minimum for each parent, and the remaining 150 days can be transferred to the other parent and 45 days can even be transferred to a grandparent.
In Japan, male employees can take up to 8 weeks leave following the child’s birth.
Iceland also has 6 weeks of transferable leave from each parent’s generous 6-month allowance.
Singapore allows for an additional 10 weeks of leave to be shared between parents on top of 16 weeks of maternity leave and 4 weeks of paternity leave.

Terms and Conditions for Maternity Leave

A minimum length of time spent at an organization is the most common condition of maternity leave. For example, you are expected to have been employed for one year in Australia and the United Arab Emirates. You are expected to have been employed for 6 months in New Zealand and Namibia, and for 26 weeks in the United Kingdom.

Other Types of Maternity Leave

But if you find yourself in a country with unfavorable maternity leave, some companies take matters into their own hands and offer great maternity leave to help you and your family navigate your new reality.

Companies with The Best Maternity Leave

Here are 10 companies with the best maternity leave:

1. Netflix, 52 paid weeks
2. KPMG, 52 paid weeks
3. Lululemon, 26 paid weeks
4. Spotify, 26 paid weeks
5. Etsy, 26 paid weeks
6. Atlassian, 26 paid weeks
7. Dropbox, 24 paid weeks
8. Microsoft, 20 paid week
9. Accenture, 18 paid weeks
10. Adobe, 16 paid weeks

Maternity Leave for Entrepreneurs

If you are a female entrepreneur or you are trying to make it on your own, the lines may become blurred. Work-life balance for women is one of the top challenges for female entrepreneurs as women are still expected to be the primary caregivers. And being an entrepreneur and a new mum can push women to a breaking point. So what are your options as a female entrepreneur?

In the UK, self-employed people may be eligible for a maternity allowance, which is similar to statutory maternity pay but less financially generous.
While America doesn’t offer paid maternity leave, some states offer paid family leave which you can apply for by paying into the state’s disability insurance program.
Canada has an employment insurance program that you can pay for which provides maternity benefits.
As a self-employed person in Australia, you can get Parental Leave Pay from the government.
In Sweden, self-employed individuals are entitled to parental leave benefits similar to employees.
Self-employed women in the Netherlands can apply for a ZEZ benefit.

While there are some options available, women do not know about them. And it takes a village to raise a child and build a business. Luckily, countless female entrepreneurs and mompreneurs have walked this path, and are advocating for mompreneurs.

Find out how female e-commerce entrepreneurs, Alex Friedman and Jordana Kier managed their maternity leave as co-founders of Lola.

Maternity Leave Tips

How Does Your Maternity Leave Work?

The logistics around your maternity leave may be confusing and you may find yourself wondering, when am I entitled to this leave and how long beforehand do I have to tell my employer? Maternity leave policies around the world differ, here are some examples.

When do you tell your employer that you are pregnant?

In Australia, a woman must inform her employer that she is pregnant and will be taking time off at least ten weeks before leaving, and is required to take time off work 8 weeks before her due date, and 8 weeks after her due date.

In Austria, a worker should let her employer know as soon as she knows, and her parental leave will begin 4-weeks before her due date.

In Denmark, France, Greece, and Italy, a woman automatically enjoys protection from maternity leave laws simply by becoming pregnant, no matter how and when the employer finds out.

In Finland, an employee is required to tell her employer only if she wants to take more than 30 days off before her expected due date.

In Nepal, a woman may take just two maternity leaves in her working life, and in Barbados, Egypt, Grenada, Jamaica, and Zimbabwe, just three.

In some countries, leave entitlement may depend on the number of children already in the family, the frequency of births, or both, length of service, or working hours.

Tips For Returning to Work Following Maternity Leave

Your maternity leave protects you from being dismissed unfairly, so you can return to work when you are ready. But often, when women return to work, they feel less than ready. They may feel dreaded mom guilt, a host of hormones, and a disconnection from the workplace. There is a lot that companies can do to help families flourish.

Here are 9 Tips For Returning to Work Following Maternity Leave

Speak to your boss and ask for support, help them understand your needs as a new mom.
Find childcare that works for you.
Organize meals in advance to make the week easier
Be gentle with yourself while you find your routine and voice
Set clear boundaries at work
Schedule “me” time
Be present, whether at home or work and give what that moment demands and try to get rid of the guilt.
If you feel you need more time, check your rights and advocate for them.
Prepare to feel more confident

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Why Maternity Leave Matters

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If we want to follow the narrative that women can do both business and babies the correct policies need to be in place to support women at work and home. Maternity leave is not time off or a vacation – it involves sleepless nights, and it is a pivotal time in a mom and baby’s life. During maternity leave, women are creating the next set of capable humans – maternity leave and childcare are essential, foundational services, like roads or public transport. The International Labour Organization now calls for a minimum 12-week leave, although a 14-week leave is recommended. Policies for maternity leave in different countries follow these guidelines, but there is work to do, especially in influential countries like the United States.

Effective and well-thought-out maternity leave can have a heap of benefits for new moms and society: