Maternity and paternity leave
The maternity leave system in the UK is more detailed and comprehensive. Currently, maternity leave in the UK is 52 weeks, divided into 'ordinary' and 'extra' maternity leave. This means that female employees are entitled to at least 52 weeks of maternity leave after the birth of a child, with the first two weeks being "ordinary" maternity leave that must be taken, followed by "additional" maternity leave with the option to take it or not.
During maternity leave, female employees are eligible for statutory maternity pay. Specifically, for the first 1-6 weeks, they can receive 90% of their average weekly earnings as wages; From week 6 to week 39, they receive 90% of their average weekly earnings or a flat rate (whichever is lower). This design not only ensures the financial security of female employees during maternity leave, but also encourages them to extend their maternity leave as long as possible to better care for their newborns.
At the same time, the UK's paternity leave system is also worth mentioning. Traditionally, male employees are entitled to 1 or 2 weeks of paid paternity leave to be able to accompany and care for their wife and children after the birth of their newborn. In recent years, the UK** has further introduced a shared parental leave policy, allowing both parents to choose to take 50 weeks of parental leave, of which 37 weeks are paid at a fixed rate. The aim of this policy is to encourage both parents to be involved in their child's development and to achieve a balance between family and work.
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United Kingdom