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- Maternity leave by country
Maternity leave by country.
From the official pages.
Maternity leave runs from 12 unpaid weeks in the US to 52 weeks in the UK. Germany, France and the Netherlands sit between, at 14 to 16 weeks before parental leave.
The table gives each country's rule with the page it came from, and the planner works out when leave can start.
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Five countries side by side
The statutory floor. A contract or a collective agreement can give more.
| The rule | United Kingdom | United States | Germany | France | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity leave | 52 weeks | Up to 12 weeks unpaid under FMLA | Usually 6 weeks before birth and 8 after | 16 weeks for a first or second child | At least 16 weeks in all |
| When it can start | From 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth | Can start before the birth | 6 weeks before the expected birth | 6 weeks before the expected birth | Between 6 and 4 weeks before the due date |
| Partner leave | Up to 2 weeks, after the birth | The same FMLA right as mothers | Up to 3 years of Elternzeit per parent | 25 calendar days, 32 for twins | 1 working week, plus up to 5 more weeks |
| Notice to resign | At least 1 week, after a month in the job | No federal rule; most jobs are at will | 4 weeks, to the 15th or the end of a month | Set by the collective agreement or custom | 1 month, unless agreed otherwise |
| Paid holiday a year | 28 days on a 5 day week | No federal right to paid vacation | 20 days on a 5 day week | 5 weeks, 30 working days | 20 days on a 5 day week |
United Kingdom, read 2026-10-07: gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/leave, gov.uk/paternity-pay-leave/leave, gov.uk/handing-in-your-notice/giving-notice, gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights
United States, read 2026-10-07: dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/28-fmla, dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/28q-taking-leave-for-birth-placement-child, usa.gov/termination-for-employers
United States, continued: dol.gov/general/topic/benefits-leave/vacation_leave
Germany, read 2026-10-07: gesetze-im-internet.de/muschg_2018/__3.html, gesetze-im-internet.de/beeg/__15.html, gesetze-im-internet.de/bgb/__622.html, gesetze-im-internet.de/burlg/__3.html
France, read 2026-10-07: code.travail.gouv.fr/code-du-travail/l1225-17, service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F3156, service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2883
France, continued: service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2258
Netherlands, read 2026-10-07: business.gov.nl/regulations/leave-schemes, rijksoverheid.nl/themas/familie-zorg-en-gezondheid/zwangerschap-en-geboorte/geboorteverlof
Netherlands, continued: business.gov.nl/regulations/notice-period, business.gov.nl/regulations/holiday-entitlement
When can their leave start
Pick the country and the due date.
Worked out on your device from the weeks in the table. Nothing is sent anywhere.
What changes from country to country
The start date moves most. In the UK leave can begin eleven weeks before the week the baby is due. In Germany and France it is six weeks.
The Netherlands gives a window. Leave starts between six and four weeks before the due date, and she picks the day.
The US has no fixed start at all.
The length after the birth matters less to the team than you would think. What the team sees is the last day, and that is set by the start date.
Why the last day catches teams out
A last day before maternity leave is often decided late, and it can move if the baby comes early.
So the card that was meant for Friday turns into a card nobody signed. Set it up a week before the earliest date the planner gives, and it is ready either way.
One card from the team, on the last day
Set it up the week before, so nobody is chasing signatures on the day.
- 01
Add their last day.
The card opens on it and not before, so it is a surprise.
- 02
Send the link round.
The team, the floor, anybody they worked with. Each person writes their own note.
- 03
They keep it.
Every note stays with them while they are away, and after.
Pick a design
Questions
Which country has the longest maternity leave?
Of these five, the UK, at 52 weeks of statutory leave. Germany adds Elternzeit after Mutterschutz, which either parent can take until the child turns three.
Is maternity leave paid in the US?
Federal law gives up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave under FMLA, for staff who qualify. Pay depends on the employer and the state.
When does maternity leave start?
It depends on the country: from eleven weeks before the expected week in the UK, six weeks before the due date in Germany and France, and between six and four weeks before in the Netherlands.
Do partners get leave too?
Yes in all five. It ranges from the same FMLA right in the US to 25 calendar days in France and two weeks in the UK.
Somebody has a day coming up.
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