A Typical Policy for Maternity Leave

While the Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires employers to give pregnant women the same rights as other employees who are unable to work due to a physical condition, it's the employer's right to develop the maternity leave policies for his company.

Wage Compensation

Federal law doesn’t require employers to pay employees for maternity leave, but most employers offer paid time off at the rate of an employee’s regular weekly, bi-monthly or monthly wages. An employee typically has the ability to request additional paid time off by using her available vacation or sick time.

Time Frame

Employers typically give an employee six weeks or less off from work for maternity leave as of 2007, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Employees with medical complications due to a pregnancy generally receive additional unpaid time off from work--a total of 12 weeks in a 12-month period.

Notice

Most employers require an employee give prior maternity leave notice (such as 30 days or as much notice as practicable in instances that aren’t foreseeable). This allows an employer to temporary fill the position until the employee returns from leave.

References

• National Network for Child Care: Maternity Leave Policies
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research: Maternity Leave in the United States