How long is paid maternity leave?
- You can be paid for up to twenty-six weeks, of which not more than eight weeks can be before your expected delivery s. 60(3).
- If you have two or more surviving children, the limit is twelve weeks, of which not more than six can be before your expected delivery s. 60(3), first proviso.
- You must have actually worked for your employer for at least eighty days in the twelve months before your expected delivery s. 60(2).
- Your employer cannot dismiss you during, or because of, this absence s. 68(1).
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Last checked 1 Nov 2026 · written from the official text · not reviewed by a lawyer. This explains the law in general and does not decide your case.