Maternity Leave Calculator
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
Estimate when statutory maternity leave can start, when it ends, and the key milestones in between, based on the country whose employment law applies. The calculator covers 11 countries. The shortest period it counts is 12 weeks (the US Family and Medical Leave Act and Mexico's Ley Federal del Trabajo); the longest are 52 weeks (UK Statutory Maternity Leave) and 12 months (unpaid parental leave under Australia's Fair Work Act).
The terms maternity leave, parental leave and paternity leave are used differently across countries. The calculator models the statutory maternity entitlement of the birth parent. Read the country summary shown with the result for the rule that applies.
Important: this is a planning estimate, not legal advice
Leave entitlements vary by employer, contract, eligibility (length of service, employee status, hours worked), industry collective agreements, and the specific facts of each pregnancy. The calculator shows the statutory baseline only. Always confirm your personal entitlement with your HR department, employment contract, or an employment lawyer before relying on the dates for financial or career planning.
Estimated return-to-work date (United States)
Wednesday, January 6, 2027
Leave start
Wed, Oct 14, 2026
Expected birth
Wed, Oct 14, 2026
Length
12 weeks (0 paid)
Timeline
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Wed, Oct 14, 2026 | Leave begins (the date entered) |
| Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | Last day of 12 weeks of FMLA leave taken in one block |
Summary: The Family and Medical Leave Act gives an eligible employee a total of 12 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for the birth of a child and to care for the newborn (29 CFR 825.200), and that leave is generally unpaid (825.207). An eligible employee has 12 months of employment, 1,250 hours of service in the previous 12 months and a worksite with 50 or more employees within 75 miles (825.110). An expectant mother may also take FMLA leave before the birth for prenatal care or if her condition makes her unable to work, and the entitlement to leave for a birth ends 12 months after the birth (825.120). The dates count the 12 weeks as one block from the date entered.
Reference: Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; 29 CFR 825.110, 825.120, 825.200 and 825.207.
Sources, read October 11, 2026:
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR): 29 CFR 825.200(a): a total of 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period, including for the birth of a child and to care for the newborn
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR): 29 CFR 825.110: an eligible employee has 12 months of employment, 1,250 hours of service in the preceding 12 months, and a worksite with 50 or more employees within 75 miles
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR): 29 CFR 825.207(a): generally, FMLA leave is unpaid leave
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR): 29 CFR 825.120(a)(2) and (4): the entitlement to leave for a birth expires at the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date of the birth; an expectant mother may take FMLA leave before the birth for prenatal care or if her condition makes her unable to work
Statutory entitlements at a glance
The table below gives, for each of the 11 countries the calculator supports, the length of the period it counts and the statutory pay or benefit inside that period. Australia's pay is counted in days and depends on the child's date of birth; the row shows the figure for a birth on the date this page was last updated. Each country's sources are shown with its result in the calculator and listed at the end of this page.
| Country | Length | Paid | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 12 weeks | 0 weeks | Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; 29 CFR 825.110, 825.120, 825.200 and 825.207 |
| United Kingdom | 52 weeks | 39 weeks | The Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/3312), regulations 4 and 7 |
| Canada | 51 weeks | 50 weeks | Employment Insurance Act (S.C. 1996, c. 23), sections 2, 12, 13, 14, 22 and 23 |
| Australia | 12 months | 130 days | Fair Work Act 2009, sections 70, 71 and 76; Paid Parental Leave Act 2010, sections 31ABA and 65; Acts Interpretation Act 1901, section 2G |
| India | 26 weeks | 26 weeks | Code on Social Security, 2020, sections 59 to 62 and the First Schedule (in force from 21 November 2025) |
| Philippines | 15 weeks | 15 weeks | Republic Act No. 11210 (105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law), as the Social Security System describes it |
| Germany | 14 weeks | 14 weeks | Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG) §§ 3, 19, 20; Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB) §§ 187, 188; Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz (BEEG) § 15 |
| France | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | Congé de maternité d'une salariée du secteur privé (service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F2265) |
| Japan | 14 weeks | 14 weeks | 労働基準法 (Labor Standards Act) Article 65; 健康保険法 (Health Insurance Act) Articles 99 and 102 |
| Singapore | 16 weeks | 16 weeks | Child Development Co-Savings Act 2001, section 9; Ministry of Manpower, maternity leave eligibility and entitlement |
| Mexico | 12 weeks | 12 weeks | Ley Federal del Trabajo, artículo 170; Ley del Seguro Social, artículos 101 y 102 |
Eligibility and what employers might offer above the floor
Eligibility is where plans most often go wrong. In the UK, Statutory Maternity Pay needs at least 26 weeks of continuous employment with the same employer continuing into the qualifying week, the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth, and average earnings of at least £129 a week; an employee who does not qualify may be eligible for Maternity Allowance instead. The US Family and Medical Leave Act covers an employee with at least 12 months of service and 1,250 hours in the 12 months before the leave, at a worksite with 50 or more employees within 75 miles. In India, the Code on Social Security, 2020 requires at least 80 days of work for the employer in the 12 months before the expected delivery. An employer's own policy can be more generous than any of these, so check it before planning household finances.
What the calculator does and does not handle
Handles: the start date from each law's period before the birth, the return date from the length of the period, and the milestones in between, such as the end of a higher pay rate or of a benefit period. Does not handle: the exact pay, which depends on salary, employer top-up and prior earnings; early births (in the UK, leave starts the day after the birth if the baby arrives early); shared parental leave split between the birth parent and a partner; longer leave for multiple births (in France, 34 weeks for twins and 46 for three or more); and the separate rules on pregnancy loss.
Worked example: UK employee with full SMP entitlement
A full-time employee with three years of service at a UK consultancy has a due date of Friday 1 May 2026, so her expected week of childbirth starts on Sunday 26 April. The earliest she can start Statutory Maternity Leave is 11 weeks before that week, in the week beginning Sunday 8 February 2026. If she starts her leave on the due date, the 52 weeks run to Thursday 29 April 2027 and she returns on Friday 30 April 2027. Statutory Maternity Pay covers 39 of those weeks: 90 percent of her average weekly earnings for the first 6, to 11 June 2026, then £194.32 a week or 90 percent of her earnings, whichever is lower, for 33 weeks, to 28 January 2027. The last 13 weeks of leave are unpaid. An employer that pays more changes the money but not these statutory dates.
For informational purposes only
This calculator provides general estimates based on business day counting rules. It does not constitute legal advice. Deadlines in legal, regulatory, or contractual matters may be subject to jurisdiction-specific rules, court orders, or statutory exceptions. Always verify critical deadlines with a qualified professional.
Sources for these rules
- S.O. 5319(E), 21 November 2025: sections 17 to 141 and items 1, 2 and 4 to 9 of section 164(1) of the Code on Social Security, 2020 in force from 21 November 2025 (Gazette of India (egazette.gov.in))
- The Code on Social Security, 2020 (No. 36 of 2020): s 60(2) 80 days worked; s 60(3) 26 weeks, not more than eight before delivery, 12 and six with two or more surviving children; s 60(4) adoption and commissioning mother 12 weeks; s 164(1) item 5 repeals the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961; First Schedule, Chapter VI (Ministry of Labour and Employment (Gazette of India print))
- 29 CFR 825.200(a): a total of 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period, including for the birth of a child and to care for the newborn (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR))
- Ley Federal del Trabajo, texto vigente, última reforma publicada el 21-02-2025, artículo 170, fracciones II y V: descanso de seis semanas anteriores y seis posteriores al parto; hasta cuatro de las seis semanas previas pueden transferirse; salario íntegro durante esos periodos (Orden Jurídico Nacional (Secretaría de Gobernación))
- Maternity pay and leave, Leave: Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks; the earliest start is usually 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth; leave starts the day after the birth if the baby is early; the expected week runs Sunday to Saturday (GOV.UK)
- Fair Work Act 2009, compilation of 7 July 2026, s 70 (12 months of unpaid parental leave), s 71(2), (3) and (6) (one continuous period; a pregnant employee's leave may start up to 6 weeks before the expected date of birth; no longer than 12 months) and s 76(1) and (7) (a request for a further period of up to 12 months; not beyond 24 months after the birth) (Federal Register of Legislation)
- Paid Parental Leave Act 2010, compilation of 19 September 2026, s 31ABA(1) (the number of flexible PPL days by the child's date of birth: 130 from 1 July 2026, 120 from 1 July 2025, 110 from 1 July 2024, 100 before) and s 65 (each day is paid at the daily national minimum wage amount, 7.6 times the hourly national minimum wage) (Federal Register of Legislation)
- Maternity pay and leave, Eligibility: average earnings of at least £129 a week and at least 26 weeks of continuous employment continuing into the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth; otherwise Maternity Allowance may apply (GOV.UK)
- 29 CFR 825.110: an eligible employee has 12 months of employment, 1,250 hours of service in the preceding 12 months, and a worksite with 50 or more employees within 75 miles (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR))
- Congé de maternité d'une salariée: 34 semaines pour des jumeaux, 46 semaines pour trois enfants ou plus (Direction de l'information légale et administrative (service-public.gouv.fr))
- Maternity pay and leave, Pay: Statutory Maternity Pay for up to 39 weeks, 90% of average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 or 90% (whichever is lower) for 33 weeks (GOV.UK)
- 29 CFR 825.207(a): generally, FMLA leave is unpaid leave (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR))
- 29 CFR 825.120(a)(2) and (4): the entitlement to leave for a birth expires at the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date of the birth; an expectant mother may take FMLA leave before the birth for prenatal care or if her condition makes her unable to work (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR))
- The Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/3312), reg 4(2)(b): the notified start shall not be earlier than the beginning of the eleventh week before the expected week of childbirth (legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives))
- The Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/3312), reg 7(1) and (4): ordinary maternity leave continues for 26 weeks from its commencement, additional maternity leave for 26 weeks from the day it commenced (legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives))
- Employment Insurance Act (S.C. 1996, c. 23), s 12(3): the maximum number of weeks for which benefits may be paid because of pregnancy is 15; for the care of a new-born child, by the election under section 23, 35 or 61 (Justice Laws Website (Department of Justice Canada))
- Employment Insurance Act, s 13: no benefits are paid in a benefit period until the claimant has served a waiting period of one week (Justice Laws Website (Department of Justice Canada))
- Employment Insurance Act, s 14(1): the rate of weekly benefits is 55% of weekly insurable earnings, or 33% for parental benefits where the maximum is the 61 weeks of s 12(3)(b)(ii) (Justice Laws Website (Department of Justice Canada))
- Employment Insurance Act, s 22(2): pregnancy benefits are payable in the period that begins the earlier of 12 weeks before the week in which the confinement is expected and the week in which it occurs, and ends 17 weeks after the later of those two weeks (Justice Laws Website (Department of Justice Canada))
- Employment Insurance Act, s 23(1.1) and (2): the claimant elects the maximum number of weeks of parental benefits; they are payable in the period that begins with the week in which the child is born and ends 52 weeks after it (Justice Laws Website (Department of Justice Canada))
- Employment Insurance Act, s 2(1): week means a period of seven consecutive days beginning on and including Sunday (Justice Laws Website (Department of Justice Canada))
- Acts Interpretation Act 1901, compilation of 28 March 2026, s 2G: a month ends immediately before the start of the corresponding day of the next calendar month or, if there is no such day, at the end of the next calendar month (Federal Register of Legislation)
- Maternity Benefit: 105 days for a live childbirth, 15 more for a solo parent under RA No. 8972, 60 days for a miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy; full pay for employed members; a continuous and uninterrupted period before or after the delivery, the postnatal part never less than 60 days; up to seven days may be allocated to the child's father or an alternate caregiver (Social Security System, Republic of the Philippines)
- § 3 Abs. 1 und 2 MuSchG: Schutzfrist in den letzten sechs Wochen vor der Entbindung, berechnet nach dem voraussichtlichen Tag der Entbindung; Schutzfrist bis zum Ablauf von acht Wochen nach der Entbindung, zwölf Wochen bei Frühgeburten, Mehrlingsgeburten und festgestellter Behinderung; Verlängerung bei vorzeitiger Entbindung (Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet))
- § 19 Abs. 1 MuSchG: Mutterschaftsgeld für die Zeit der Schutzfristen vor und nach der Entbindung sowie für den Entbindungstag (Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet))
- § 20 Abs. 1 MuSchG: Zuschuss des Arbeitgebers in Höhe des Unterschiedsbetrags zwischen 13 Euro und dem durchschnittlichen kalendertäglichen Nettoarbeitsentgelt der letzten drei abgerechneten Kalendermonate (Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet))
- § 187 Abs. 1 BGB: Der Tag des Ereignisses wird bei der Berechnung der Frist nicht mitgerechnet (Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet))
- § 188 Abs. 2 BGB: Eine nach Wochen bestimmte Frist endet mit dem Ablauf des Tages der letzten Woche, der durch seine Benennung dem Tag des Ereignisses entspricht (Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet))
- § 15 Abs. 2 BEEG: Anspruch auf Elternzeit bis zur Vollendung des dritten Lebensjahres eines Kindes; die Mutterschutzfrist nach der Entbindung wird angerechnet (Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet))
- 労働基準法 (Labor Standards Act, Act No. 49 of 1947) 第六十五条: six weeks before the birth on request (fourteen for a multiple pregnancy); no work until eight weeks after the birth, six on request with a doctor's approval (e-Gov 法令検索 (Government of Japan))
- 健康保険法 (Health Insurance Act, Act No. 70 of 1922) 第百二条, 第九十九条第二項: the maternity allowance runs from 42 days up to and including the day of the birth (the expected date if the birth is later; 98 days for a multiple pregnancy) to 56 days after it, at two thirds of one thirtieth of the average standard monthly remuneration (e-Gov 法令検索 (Government of Japan))
- Child Development Co-Savings Act 2001, s 9(1): absence from work for 4 weeks immediately before and 12 weeks immediately after the confinement, or for 16 weeks as agreed, commencing not earlier than 28 days immediately preceding the day of the confinement and not later than that day (Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers))
- Maternity leave eligibility and entitlement: 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave for a Singapore citizen child after 3 continuous months of service, otherwise 12 weeks under the Employment Act; who pays which weeks; the reimbursement cap of $10,000 per 4 weeks (Ministry of Manpower)
- Ley del Seguro Social, texto vigente, última reforma publicada el 07-06-2024, artículos 101 y 102: subsidio igual al cien por ciento del último salario diario de cotización durante cuarenta y dos días anteriores y cuarenta y dos posteriores al parto; certificado único de incapacidad por ochenta y cuatro días; treinta cotizaciones semanales en los doce meses anteriores (Orden Jurídico Nacional (Secretaría de Gobernación))
Checked October 11, 2026. All sources