This publication is categorised as a CSO Frontier Series Output. Particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in this release as it may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources.
Between 2019 and 2023 the percentage of mothers returning to work for the same employer within six months of Maternity Benefit ending rose steadily from 77.7% to 84.9%.
Of the 2023 Maternity Benefit recipients, 94.7% employed in Public Administration & Defence (O) returned to work within six months after Maternity Benefit, while only 63.7% of those in Accommodation & Food Service Activities (I) returned.
Generally, across all sectors, the proportion of Maternity Benefit recipients that return to work for the same employer within six months of the benefit ending has risen between 2019 and 2023. In the Public Administration & Defence (O) and Education (P) sectors, high levels (greater than 90%) were maintained over the same period (Table 6.2).
In 2023, the largest proportion of Maternity Benefit recipients who returned to work for the same employer within six months were in large enterprises (250 and over employees) at 91.9%. The smallest proportion were working in micro enterprises (0 - 9 employees) at 65.8%.
For 2023 Maternity Benefit recipients who returned to work for the same employer, the interval between Maternity Benefit ending and the first payment after returning to work is shown in Figure 6.4. Approximately 50% returned within the first 9 weeks after the last Maternity Benefit payment. The proportion who returned then continues to decrease week-on-week until week 15, when there was an increase until week 17. This increase is likely related to the scheme rules allowing Maternity Benefit recipients to take 16 weeks of unpaid leave immediately after Maternity Benefit ends.
Looking at the employment status 12 months after Maternity Benefit ended, for those that started maternity in 2023, 71.6% remained in employment with the same employer, 12.4% had ceased work, 13.7% were working for a new employer and 2.4% were on further Maternity Leave. The percentage within each category is quite stable across all years.
For 2023 Maternity Benefit recipients, employees in Education (P) were most likely to work for the same employer 12 months after Maternity Benefit ended, at 86.8%. Employees in Accommodation & Food Service Activities (I) were least likely at 44.4%. They were also the most likely to no longer be in employment at 31.9% in 2023, compared to 4.4% of those working in Public Administration and Defence (O).
For 2023 Maternity Benefit recipients, employees in large enterprises (250 and over employees) were most likely to remain with the same employer 12 months after Maternity Benefit ended, at 80.3%. For the same year, 52.5% of those working in micro enterprises (0 - 9 employees) remained with the same employer 12 months after Maternity Benefit had ended.
Between 2019 and 2023, for mothers who returned to their previous employer after Maternity Benefit, the split between those earning approximately full pay compared to their pre-maternity pay level, and those earning less was quite stable. The highest proportion of those returning to work earning full pay were for 2020 and 2021, at 66%, compared to the lowest level of 61.9% for those who started Maternity Benefit in 2019.
It should be noted that there is no method to distinguish between full and part-time employment in the data. If a Maternity Benefit recipient was receiving the same rate of pay but working reduced hours, this would appear as an overall reduction in pay.
Looking across economic sectors for 2023 Maternity Benefit recipients, 75% of employees in Construction (F) returned to work with similar pay levels as before starting Maternity Leave. Employees in Information and Communication (J) were most likely to have lower pay than pre-maternity levels, at 42.6% for the same year, followed very closely by Wholesale and Retail Trade (G) at 42.3% and Administrative and Support Service Activities (N) at 42%.
For 2023 Maternity Benefit recipients, employees in small enterprises were least likely to return to work with similar pay to pre-maternity levels at 60.1%. Those in micro enterprises were most likely to return with full pay at 64.4%.
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.