Global insurance firm QBE North America has enhanced its paid parental leave programme to a minimum of 12 weeks for all parents whether they adopt, give birth, foster or use a surrogate.
The initiative, which is known as Balanced Beginnings, provides up to 22 weeks of paid leave, with 12 of those weeks available to all parents on a gender-equal basis, inclusive all family dynamics.
QBE North America’s parental leave benefits are available to all of its 2,700 employees from their first day of employment and can be taken flexibly within the first year following their child’s birth or adoption.
Rachel Pollack, chief human resource officer at QBE North America, said: “We recognise the role employers can play to help equalise gender roles, normalise taking time off to grow a family and make the workplace a more family-friendly environment. I’m particularly proud of Balanced Beginnings because through it we are able to recognise the beauty in diverse family dynamics and support all parents.”
Julie Wood, chief executive officer at QBE North America, added: “As a working parent, I have experienced the complexities that come with managing a growing family and career, it can be a tough balancing act. I think it’s key that our employees feel confident we’ll support not just their professional development, but their family goals as well, and this enhanced benefit is another step in our prioritisation of our people’s needs.”
The firm’s full range of benefits that support families include adoption and surrogacy reimbursement, coverage for infertility treatments, two weeks of paid caregiver leave annually to care for a sick family member, back-up childcare and elder care resources. It also offers legal benefits, pet benefits, critical illness and accident insurance, a volunteer day, monthly guided meditations and a wellbeing rebate programme which provides reimbursement for gym membership, online fitness programmes, race entry fees and meal service kits.
