In the Netherlands you get 16 weeks of maternity leave at full pay, one week of birth leave at full pay plus up to five weeks at 70%, and nine weeks of paid parental leave at 70%. In the UK, maternity leave is 16 weeks at full pay. Tell the people listed here well in advance.

Nucleus: Live · Owner: @Anne Pasdeloup · Reviewed: 24 Sept 2026

Being a parent — or becoming one — is one of the biggest things that can happen in your life. We want to support you through it, wherever you are based and however it unfolds.

This page explains what you're entitled to, how Luscii approaches things beyond the legal minimum, and the thinking behind our choices.

Our approach to parental leave

At Luscii we think carefully about what fairness actually means — not just for the person in front of us, but for everyone.

We make a conscious distinction between two types of leave. When you’re on maternity leave, you are unable to work. In that case we top up to 100%, because it would be unreasonable to ask you to bear a financial cost for something outside your control.

Parental leave is different. It's a meaningful, valuable entitlement — and the government has created a generous scheme for it. We follow that scheme, including the 70% rate, because we think that's the right call. Every euro has a home at Luscii, and we'd rather spend it on things that benefit everyone than correct for something the government has already deliberately designed. That feels more honest to us than topping up quietly and pretending the trade-off doesn't exist.

We'll always make sure the rules are applied correctly and explained clearly. Questions about how any of this applies to your situation? Reach out to the People & Paper Guru.

Maternity leave (Netherlands)

If you're pregnant, you're entitled to maternity leave (zwangerschaps- en bevallingsverlof).

Please inform your circle lead, Leave Tracker and Payroll Keeper no later than 3 months before your due date. We'll need a pregnancy statement from your doctor or midwife confirming the due date — this is needed to arrange the UWV administration.

Duration

Maternity leave lasts a minimum of 16 weeks in total:

• Pregnancy leave (before birth): You can start between 6 and 4 weeks before your due date — your choice. For twins or multiples: between 10 and 8 weeks before the due date.
• Maternity leave (after birth): Starts the day after your child is born and lasts at least 10 weeks. If you took fewer than 6 weeks before birth, the remaining weeks are added after — the total is always at least 16 weeks.

Pay during maternity leave

Maternity leave is fully paid. The UWV pays your salary directly (up to the statutory maximum daily wage). If your salary exceeds the UWV cap, Luscii tops up the difference so you always receive 100% of your salary throughout your maternity leave. You can’t work, so you shouldn't lose income. Your pension keeps building as normal throughout your maternity leave.