Luxury agency Panache Cruises has upgraded its maternity and paternity policies and now claims to have the strongest offering across the travel industry.

The company is offering eligible employees 26 weeks’ maternity pay at full basic salary, and thereafter 13 weeks of statutory pay.  

For paternity leave, eligible staff will receive six weeks paternity pay at full basic salary. This can be taken in weekly blocks during the first 12 months following the birth. 

The new policies are available to those who adopt children also.

Statutory maternity pay under government guidelines is paid for up to 39 weeks. Mothers receive 90% of average weekly earnings before tax for the first six weeks and £172.48 or 90% of average weekly earnings, for the next 33 weeks.

The statutory weekly pre-tax rate of paternity pay is also £172.48, or 90% of average weekly earnings

Newly promoted Panache Cruises partnerships director Anna Perrott, who has been leading a review of the brand’s maternity and paternity offering, said: “We are constantly reviewing our pay and remuneration package to make sure we are offering the best in the industry.

“These new maternity and paternity packages are, from what we can see, the best you can get across the travel industry and have been welcomed by the team.  

“We are confident that our new approach to maternity and paternity leave will also be attractive to new joiners.  

“We want to support working parents and having financial support can be a huge relief to new parents.

“Our people are our most important asset and what drives our success, so ensuring that they feel valued and well rewarded is central to our growth strategy.”