The Necessity of Parental Leave

It’s 2025 and we are still having global debates about maternal and parental leave from the workplace.

Disclaimer

Before I go any further into this subject, I feel it necessary to preface it by saying it is always (or at least it should always be) a choice to have children, and if you choose not to, that should not disservice you in any way.  My perspective is that of a mum to a currently-four-year-old little girl living in the UK, and labelled a “traditional” family structure with my husband.  If you are a “non-traditional” or “alternative” parent, my arguments also apply, though I recognise there will be shortcomings in my perspective.

Policy Background

Now, back to the debate surrounding maternity and parental leave policies.  As an American living in the UK, it absolutely astounded me that I could have a child here without paying a dime (thank you National Health Service) and that I was entitled to up to one-year of maternity leave, nine months of which was paid. 

For those who are unaware, in the United States, the only federal law guaranteeing maternity leave in the US is unpaid, and it applies only to some employees.  The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protects your job in the US for up to 12 weeks after childbirth or adoption.  If you’ve been working in your job for one year and your employer has more than 50 employees within 75 miles of where you work, they must hold your job for you, but they are not obligated to pay you.

To be fair, many states and even individual companies have sought to address this shortcoming through additional laws and policies, some extending the amount of time, some requiring a form of paid leave.  Suffice to say, for the most part, women and parents still suffer due to a lack of leave policies in place to support them and their growing families.

The United Kingdom still falls woefully short in comparison to other European nations’ leave policies, but from an American perspective it’s like winning the jackpot!  Statutory maternity leave, if you qualify, is 52 weeks, made up of:

• Ordinary Maternity Leave – first 26 weeks

• Additional Maternity Leave – last 26 weeks

You do not have to take 52 weeks, but you must take 2 weeks’ leave after your baby is born.

Statutory maternity leave is paid for 39 weeks, at two rates:

• 90% of our average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks

• £187.18 per week (from April 2025-April 2026) or 90% of your average weekly earnings (if they are lower) for the next 33 weeks

Your employer may provide additional maternity pay on top of the statutory requirements.  You have the right to return to your job if you take 26 weeks of leave.  If you take more leave, you have the right to your job or a similar role (meaning the same or better terms and conditions).

Another offering in the UK, that far too few people are even aware of being a legal right, is Shared Parental Leave.  This is where you and your partner are entitled to share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of parental pay (if eligible).  My husband and I did this, and both found it so rewarding.  He wrote a great blog on his experience and learnings on LinkedIn.

Professional Learnings from Parenthood

If you read my husband’s post about Shared Parental Leave, you will notice all the professional lessons he learned.  The same applies to anyone becoming a parent, and in my case, becoming a mother. 

I work in international higher education, currently with students studying abroad in the UK from American universities.  As much as we like to think of university students as adults (and some of them very much are), most in my sector will agree that they are very much still children learning the ways of the world.  A lot of what I have learned about parenting my toddler frequently comes into play when working with my students.  Becoming a mum has taught me more patience, how to better practice active listening, emotional validation, and boundary setting, all of which I use when supporting my students and ensuring they have a safe, happy, and successful term abroad.

Being a mother has made me better at my job, and a better employee.  I thought I was busy before parenthood, but now I value every second of the day and manage my time more effectively than ever before.  My communication skills have improved thanks to my practice with my four-year-old – have you ever had to explain how things work to a child?  Answered all their ‘why’ questions?  Parents will understand, you learn how to approach communication and explanations differently!  Even if you do occasionally pull out the ‘because I said so.’

Employer Support

Feeling secure in my maternity leave and now as a working mum has been invaluable.  I have been incredibly fortunate to work for excellent companies and people. 

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I worked for UNC Winston House.  As the Director at the time, my US colleagues worked with me to cover my maternity leave (this was during the early post-Covid days) and ensure I was able to focus on my newborn without worrying about my job.  They also hugely supported me when I returned to work seven months postpartum, including during my mini breakdown the first week I was back when my daughter fell off the couch at home and my husband rushed her to hospital (fortunately she was fine).

In my current role with Accent Global Learning’s London Study Centre, I have an amazing supervisor who understands that flexibility is sometimes necessary for all of us, but especially with a sick toddler.  My team is always there to help when I need it, because they know that support will always be returned.  To be clear, this is a two-way street, and I show up to work ready to do the work.  By bringing my parental skills to work, I prove my value as an employee every day and ensure employer faith in my ability to catch up and deliver when I may need an extra day off with my daughter here or there.

Amongst Accent’s global team there are many parents, all of whom understand how important good policies and employer support are.  I am so grateful for colleagues who validate my need for earlier meeting times (difficult to do when working across time zones in Europe and the US) because I need to pick up my daughter from nursery in the evenings.  When I suggest I can make a later time work (the American workaholic in me), but that it is not my first choice, they are quick to come back and dismiss that, reassuring me we will find a better time for us all.  It is this wider work culture of understanding and support that strengthens the company as a whole and makes me want to work even harder for our success.

Why We Need Better Parental Leave

It is 2025, and we are still falling short globally when it comes to parental leave.  European countries are currently leading the way, particularly with paid maternity leave:

• Bulgaria: 410 days at 90% of the employee’s gross salary

• Norway: 343 days at 100% pay

• Sweden: 390 days at 80% pay

The European Union requires member states to offer at least 10 days of paid paternity leave to fathers or second parents.  Member states all have different rules regarding leave and payment, but largely these are much better than elsewhere in the world (looking at you, America).

The right to parental leave is important itself, but even more important is paid parental leave.  The American Psychological Association reported that psychological research shows significant benefits to entire family units when paid parental leave is in place.  Psychologist Ashley Schappell D’Inverno, PhD, a behavioural scientist in the Division of Violence Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states, “Paid parental leave can reduce financial stress, allow parents to focus on bonding with their child, and increase gender equality when fathers have more time to participate in child care [sic] duties. All of these positive effects trickle down to benefit the child and the family as a whole.” 

So why should companies and employers care about the individual and family-wide impact of paid parental leave? Several reasons:

1. Increased Morale and Productivity: When employees feel supported, valued, and respected, they bring a higher morale into their work.  This translates to better engagement and focus, as well as a greater level of productivity. 

Knowing I had paid leave and was supported by UNC Winston House, I was excited to return to work at the end of my leave, and keen to deliver for my colleagues, supervisors, and students.

2. Higher Retention Rates: If an employee knows their role is secure and they’ll be supported through major life events like taking time off to care for their family, they are more likely to return to their role.  This reduces turnover and associated costs. 

While I did leave my role as Director with UNC Winston House five months after returning from maternity leave, this was not because of a lack of support and security.  My priorities and career goals had simply shifted.  But I was hugely grateful to my UNC supervisors for supporting my maternity leave and my return to work.

3. Talent Recruitment:  A generous parental leave policy can be a major draw for potential employees who may be planning to have a family in the future.  Individuals who prioritise work-life balance and family-friendly workplaces are likely to be more committed to companies with beneficial parental leave policies. 

As an American in the UK, I’m happy with the statutory leave and pay on offer, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t now aware of institutions offering more than statutory pay.  Living in London is expensive, and every little bit helps!

4. Positive Corporate Image: Companies and institutions that offer generous parental leave policies are frequently viewed as progressive and socially responsible.  This can enhance a brand and make it more appealing to customers, clients, and potential employees with strong values.  A commitment to employee well-being and social responsibility is not only a good thing for companies to demonstrate, but also a good way for people to live.

Gender Equality: Companies can promote gender equality by encouraging (or requiring!) all parents to take leave.  This is sorely lacking in many places and frequently means women are more regularly responsible for childcare needs.  When fathers take paternity leave, it shifts social and organisational expectations about who should take time off to care for children.

From the ‘traditional’ nuclear family perspective, it was huge for me and my husband to have equal rights to leave with our newborn daughter.  Now, as the one who had to birth her, there was absolutely a need for me to have time to recover.  However, my husband and I are so grateful he got not only two weeks of paid Paternity Leave immediately following our daughter’s birth, but also that he took two months of Shared Parental Leave when she was seven months old.  I was secure going back to work knowing our daughter was with her father, and he gained precious time and memories with her.  We credit our leave periods to our secure relationships with our four-year-old now.

Conclusions

I cannot claim to be an expert in parental leave policies, and the above all comes from my personal experiences.  Yet it seems blatantly clear to me that paid parental leave can only be a good thing for companies, individuals, and society as a whole.  This is not an easy change to make, and various factors like political landscape, company size, and workplace bias, but these are not unsurmountable.  By creating better paid parental leave policies globally, we can build a stronger workforce, increase gender equality, and support better mental and physical wellbeing for all.