Leeds giant Walker Morris has informed its staff that it will be dramatically reducing its maternity offering in order to bring it "in line with the market".
All Walker Morris staff received an email this week which explained that, thanks to a number of "significant changes" to statutory maternity policy (SMP), the firm would be "re-balancing" its current enhanced maternity policy. Which is law firm marketing speak for "slashing this valued benefit".
The firm's old enhanced deal was the Katie Price of maternity policies. Staff received statutory pay during their leave - six weeks at 90% pay, followed by 33 weeks at £124.88. However, if they came back to the firm for at least three months, it would get topped up to a very generous 39 weeks' of full pay.
But the halcyon days have drawn to a close and the new policy has reduced the top-up to just 14 weeks of full pay. Which means that where previously Walker Morris would have topped RollOnFriday's maternity leave survey, it now slumps into the latter half of the table. And staff at the firm are furious. One insider said "there is a lot of bad feeling among the women at the firm particularly as there was no warning, consultation or other notice of such a dramatic change. The Partners have made no announcements or provided any explanation to date."
A spokeswoman for the firm said "it was clear that due to a number of changes introduced to the Statutory Maternity Provisions, our policy was well out of line with the market. We believe that the revised enhanced maternity policy still offers our members of staff enhanced benefits that are still in excess of many other firms."
Tip Off ROF
All Walker Morris staff received an email this week which explained that, thanks to a number of "significant changes" to statutory maternity policy (SMP), the firm would be "re-balancing" its current enhanced maternity policy. Which is law firm marketing speak for "slashing this valued benefit".
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Reaction to the news yesterday |
The firm's old enhanced deal was the Katie Price of maternity policies. Staff received statutory pay during their leave - six weeks at 90% pay, followed by 33 weeks at £124.88. However, if they came back to the firm for at least three months, it would get topped up to a very generous 39 weeks' of full pay.
But the halcyon days have drawn to a close and the new policy has reduced the top-up to just 14 weeks of full pay. Which means that where previously Walker Morris would have topped RollOnFriday's maternity leave survey, it now slumps into the latter half of the table. And staff at the firm are furious. One insider said "there is a lot of bad feeling among the women at the firm particularly as there was no warning, consultation or other notice of such a dramatic change. The Partners have made no announcements or provided any explanation to date."
A spokeswoman for the firm said "it was clear that due to a number of changes introduced to the Statutory Maternity Provisions, our policy was well out of line with the market. We believe that the revised enhanced maternity policy still offers our members of staff enhanced benefits that are still in excess of many other firms."