maternity leave

noun

1. a leave of absence for an expectant or new mother for the birth and care of the baby.

maternity leave

noun

1. a period of paid absence from work, in Britain currently six months, to which a woman is legally entitled during the months immediately before and after childbirth

Word History and Origins

Origin of maternity leave¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

The agency has since enhanced its SPL so employees who have worked there more than a year can take 13 weeks full pay before reverting to statutory, and those with four years service can access 26 weeks full pay — on par with its maternity leave.

From Digiday

My wife was on maternity leave while our 6-month-old son was starting to army-crawl.

From Ozy

For example, vesting schedules with a stop vesting provision that activates when taking maternity leave has a disproportionately negative impact on women.

From Digiday

I had been at my job for 10 months when my daughter was born, not enough time to qualify for maternity leave.

From Washington Post

What would have been a short maternity leave — she was off from his birth in August until November — will end up being a year with her 14-month-old son.

From Washington Post

“He was talking about getting rid of Savannah two weeks off her maternity leave,” says the NBC News type.

From The Daily Beast

Maternity leave and all that stuff is super important to me.

From The Daily Beast

In a familiar story, the U.S. has no law guaranteeing any paid maternity leave and is the only industrialized nation to do so.

From The Daily Beast

“I was trying to get everything together for maternity leave,” Uriguen says.

From The Daily Beast

One finding with potential political implications is widespread support for paid maternity leave, even among Republicans.

From The Daily Beast