Dynamics of parental leave in Anglophone countries: the paradox of state expansion in liberal welfare regimes

Figures & data

Table 1. Government policies as at 2014 in Anglophone countries (alphabetical).^a

Country	Name of policy or policies	For mothers (individual entitlement in weeks)	For fathers/same sex partners (individual entitlement in weeks)	Payment level for mothers/parents	Payment level for fathers only	Maximum parental leave (paid and unpaid) per couple (in weeks)
Australia	Unpaid parental leave (with job guarantee)	52 weeks (transferable)	52 weeks (transferrable)	–	–	104 weeks 20 weeks in total paid
	Parental leave pay	18 weeks (transferable)	–	Paid at national minimum wage^b of €425 per week	–	–
	Dad and partner pay (DaPP)	–	2 weeks (non-transferable)	–	Paid at national minimum wage of €425 per week	–
Canada^c (excl. Quebec)	Paid maternity leave	15–17 weeks (non-transferable)	–	55% av. insured earnings, up to ceiling of €345 per week; €32,651 per couple	–	52 weeks 15–17 weeks in total paid
	Parental leave	35 weeks (shared with father)	35 weeks (shared with mother)	As above	–	–
Ireland	Unpaid parental leave (available to child’s 8th birthday)	18 weeks^d	18 weeks^e	–	–	78 weeks 26 weeks in total paid
	Maternity leave	42 weeks		26 weeks × €230 per week	–
New Zealand^f	Parental leave	52 weeks (unpaid except for 14 weeks)				54 weeks 14 weeks in total paid
	Paid parental leave	14 weeks (transferrable)		€303 per week
	Paternity leave		2 weeks (unpaid)		–
The UK	Unpaid parental leave (available to child’s 5th birthday)	18 weeks^g (non-transferable)	18 weeks^h (non-transferable)			90 weeks 41 weeks in total paid
	Maternity leave	52 weeks (first 20 weeks reserved for mother)		6 weeks @ 90% income replacement + 33 weeks × €174 per week
	Paternity leave		2 weeks		€174 per week
	Additional paternity leave	Transferable from mothers after 20 weeks			€174 per week
	Shared parental leave (from April 2015)	Transferable from mothers after 2 weeks			€174 per week
The USA	Family and medical leave	12 weeks^i (Unpaid)	12 weeks^j (unpaid)			24 weeks

^aAll monetary amounts converted to Euros as at November 2104.

^bAt November 2014; reviewed annually.

^chttp://www.leavenetwork.org/fileadmin/Leavenetwork/Country_notes/2014/Canada.pdf; accessed 26 Nov 2014.

^dEU Revised Parental Leave Directive 2010 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/employment_and_social_policy/equality_between_men_and_women/em0031_en.htm

^eEU Revised Parental Leave Directive 2010 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/employment_and_social_policy/equality_between_men_and_women/em0031_en.htm

^fhttp://www.dol.govt.nz/er/holidaysandleave/parentalleave/summary.asp; accessed 24 Nov 2014.

^gEU Revised Parental Leave Directive 2010 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/employment_and_social_policy/equality_between_men_and_women/em0031_en.htm

^hE EU Revised Parental Leave Directive 2010 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/employment_and_social_policy/equality_between_men_and_women/em0031_en.htm

ⁱNote that coverage is limited to enterprises with 50 or more employees, and eligibility requires 1250 hours of work in the prior year.

^jNote that coverage is limited to enterprises with 50 or more employees, and eligibility requires 1250 hours of work in the prior year.