Early years childcare provider Busy Bees Nurseries has introduced enhanced family leave benefits for its more than 9,000 employees located across the UK as of this month.
These benefits include enhanced maternity and adoption pay, shared parental leave and paid paternity leave for new fathers. All eligible employees on maternity or adoption leave will now receive 12 weeks of pay, followed by 27 weeks of statutory pay, as well as a return to work bonus that is the equivalent to four weeks of pay. Eligibility is dependent on the employee’s circumstances and length of employment.
The nursery group also launched paid parental bereavement leave of at least four weeks and paid leave following a miscarriage.
Charlotte Hutchings, group chief people officer at Busy Bees, said: “As you’d expect, family is incredibly important to us at Busy Bees, and there is more to life than work. That is why we are committed to supporting our people in achieving a good balance between their work and home lives.
“This is a really positive change that allows us to better support our people and their families during such significant times in their lives, both during and when returning from family leave. Offering enhanced family leave ensures our people can take the relevant time off and feel confident in returning to work afterwards too.”
Earlier this month, the US Department of Defense expanded its military parental leave programme to provide 12 weeks of parental leave to those on active duty for 12 months or more who have given birth, adopted a child or had a child placed for long-term foster care with them. Additionally, birth parents have been granted the additional leave allowance following a period of convalescent leave, while non-birth, adoptive and eligible foster parents can take the time off following the birth, adoption or fostering of their child.