Asos has unveiled a packaged of policies to support employees through health-related life events, regardless of their sex or circumstances.
Employees can take time away from work for events such as pregnancy loss, fertility treatment, cancer treatment, gender reassignment surgery, and to manage menopause symptoms.
Asos CEO Neil Beighton said: “All of us face unexpected challenges in life, and sometimes these can create very difficult circumstances which mean we need to step away from or change how we work. We’ve launched these new policies to reassure all Asosers that they will continue to be supported, personally and financially, throughout those difficult times. We’re here, no matter what it is and every step of the way.”
From today (7 October) those who lose a pregnancy through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy or abortion will be granted 10 days’ paid leave. The policy will apply to the individual who was pregnant, a partner of someone who was pregnant, and those who had a surrogate who was pregnant on their behalf.
Employees undergoing fertility treatment, or those with a partner doing so, can take five days’ paid leave per cycle so they can attend and recover from appointments. The benefit is not limited to any number of cycles and applies to those with all kinds of family arrangement, including same-sex couples.
Those experiencing any other health-related event, such as gender reassignment surgery and cancer treatment, can take up to six weeks’ paid leave.
Flexible working arrangements will be offered to all staff experiencing menopause symptoms, not just cisgender women. They can also request to work from home or take leave at short notice.