Maternity Leave Calculator
Estimate when statutory maternity leave can start, when it ends, and the key milestones in between, based on the country whose employment law applies. Covers 11 countries with statutory entitlements ranging from 12 weeks (US FMLA) to 52 weeks (UK Statutory Maternity Leave).
The terms maternity leave, parental leave, and paternity leave are used differently across countries. The calculator focuses on the statutory maternity entitlement for the birth parent, since that is the longest and most regulated frame in most jurisdictions. Read the country summary shown with the result for the specific 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.
Statutory entitlements at a glance
The table below summarizes the statutory floor for each of the 11 countries supported by the calculator. Total weeks includes both pre-birth and post-birth leave; paid weeks shows how many of those are wage-replaced by the state or social insurance scheme.
| Country | Total weeks | Paid weeks | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 12 | 0 | Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), 29 USC 2611 |
| United Kingdom | 52 | 39 | Employment Rights Act 1996, Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999 |
| Canada | 50 | 50 | Employment Insurance Act, Part I |
| Australia | 22 | 22 | Paid Parental Leave Act 2010; Fair Work Act 2009 s 70 |
| India | 26 | 26 | Maternity Benefit Act 1961 (as amended 2017) |
| Philippines | 15 | 15 | Republic Act 11210, 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law |
| Germany | 14 | 14 | Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG); Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz (BEEG) |
| France | 16 | 16 | Code du travail Art L1225-17 to L1225-29 |
| Japan | 14 | 14 | Labor Standards Act Art 65; Childcare and Family Care Leave Act |
| Singapore | 16 | 16 | Employment Act; Child Development Co-Savings Act |
| Mexico | 12 | 12 | Ley Federal del Trabajo Art 170; Ley del Seguro Social |
Eligibility and what employers might offer above the floor
Eligibility requirements are the trap. UK SMP requires 26 weeks of continuous service with the same employer ending in the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth. Miss that by a fortnight and you fall back to Maternity Allowance, which pays less. US FMLA needs 12 months of service AND 1,250 hours worked AND an employer with 50+ employees within 75 miles. India needs 80 days of work in the 12 months before delivery. Many employers offer enhanced packages that pay full salary for the statutory window, sometimes extending it by 3 to 6 months at full pay. Check the staff handbook before you plan household finances.
What the calculator does and does not handle
Handles: leave start date based on standard pre-birth window, return date based on total statutory weeks, mid-leave milestones (end of higher-rate pay window, end of job protection). Does not handle: exact pay calculation (depends on salary, employer top-up, prior earnings), early-start scenarios (premature birth often triggers automatic leave start), keeping-in-touch days (10 KIT days under UK SMP, similar in some EU countries), shared parental leave splits between birth parent and partner, multiple-birth extensions (twins/triplets get longer leave in France and the UK), and stillbirth/late-pregnancy-loss provisions, which are governed by separate statutes.
Worked example: UK employee with full SMP entitlement
A full-time employee at a UK consultancy with 3 years of service has an expected due date of May 1, 2026. The earliest she can start Statutory Maternity Leave is the 11th week before the expected week of childbirth, which is the week starting Feb 16, 2026. If she opts to start leave on the due date itself, the calculator shows return- to-work on May 1, 2027 (52 weeks later). Her SMP runs for 39 weeks: first 6 weeks at 90 percent of average earnings (so until June 12, 2026), then 33 weeks at the lower of £172.48 or 90 percent of earnings (until Jan 29, 2027). The remaining 13 weeks are job- protected unpaid leave. If her employer offers an enhanced package of 6 months full pay, the financial profile changes substantially even though the statutory dates do not.
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.