Maternity leave is job-protected time off taken by an employee before and after giving birth. It exists to protect the health of mother and child and to guarantee a return to work afterwards. In most countries a portion is compulsory immediately after birth, and pay comes from the state, the employer, or a combination of the two.

Duration and pay vary widely. The UK offers up to 52 weeks of statutory maternity leave with the first weeks paid at a higher rate; many EU countries provide 16 to 20 weeks at or near full salary; Singapore and Australia run their own statutory schemes. Employer policies frequently enhance the statutory minimum.

For HR teams managing staff across borders, the rules quickly become complex. Tracking entitlement, pay periods, and return dates in Calamari's Time Off module ensures each employee is treated correctly under their own country's law, without manual spreadsheets.