Maternity leave pay calculator Jamaica

The Maternity Leave Act gives you 12 weeks of maternity leave. Your employer pays 8 weeks of them if you qualify.

Enter your weekly pay and how long you have worked for your employer to see what you should receive.

How it's calculated

You qualify for paid leave after 52 weeks of continuous employment with the same employer.
Paid leave: 8 weeks. This page values them at your normal weekly pay. The rest of the 12 weeks is unpaid.
Paid maternity leave can be taken up to 3 times with the same employer.
With a medical certificate the leave can be extended by up to 14 weeks without pay.

On J$40,000 a week, 8 paid weeks come to J$320,000. The other 4 weeks of leave are unpaid.

How long is maternity leave in Jamaica?

12 weeks. Your employer pays 8 weeks of them if you have worked there for 52 weeks without a break.

I work in a private home. Who pays my maternity leave?

Household workers are not paid by the employer under the Act. They can claim maternity benefit from the National Insurance Scheme.

What if I work in seasonal jobs?

For seasonal work you qualify if you worked for the employer for 52 weeks in total during the previous five years.

Continuous employment: Working for the same employer without a break in your contract.

Up-to-date official data

Data checked against the official source on 24 October 2026.

We check the official sources automatically, every day.