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Mundipharma baby boom follows 18 week parental leave policy

Announcement posted by Mundipharma 21 Oct 2019

Mundipharma has welcomed a wave of colleagues choosing to start or grow their families following the implementation of our new Paid Parental Leave Policy.
Mundipharma has welcomed a wave of colleagues choosing to start or grow their families following the implementation of our new Paid Parental Leave Policy.
 
The policy was introduced in January 2018 and offers 18 weeks of paid parental leave on full pay for primary carers, regardless of gender, and two weeks paid partner leave. This is independent of, and in addition to, any Government-provided leave, and can be taken any time up to three years after birth or adoption.
 
In 2018, 10 female colleagues benefitted from the new policy, with half choosing to take 18 weeks leave at full pay, and half opting for 36 weeks leave at half pay. Two male colleagues also accessed their two weeks of paid partner leave.
 
So far in 2019-2020 Mundipharma has 11 female and two male colleagues who have either started or are planning to start their 18 weeks of paid parental leave as a primary carer, and three male colleagues who have taken or are planning to take two weeks paid partner leave.
 
With just under 200 employees across Australia, about 25 per cent of Mundipharma’s female field force will have benefited from the policy during 2018 and 2019. Before the policy was implemented, only five employees began parental leave in 2016 and no colleagues took parental leave in 2017.
 
“I am thrilled that our male colleagues are beginning to feel empowered to take on the role of primary carer,” said Jane Orr, Managing Director of Mundipharma Australia and New Zealand. “This means our policy could be helping the female partners of our employees return to work and help drive the societal change necessary to redress gender imbalances associated with child care.”
 
The Paid Parental Leave policy was introduced alongside a range of employee benefits and flexibility options including education grants, study assistance, generous insurance coverage, a transition to retirement policy, and support leave for care givers. 
 
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 95 per cent of primary parental leave outside the public sector is taken by women, and twice as many women provide primary care to a person with a disability compared to men[i].
 
“All of these polices were designed to support healthy and happy homes for our employees and their families, while helping confront gender disparity,” Ms Orr said. “Many of us could not contribute to our full potential at work without the love and support of the families we go home to. Congratulations again to all the new, and soon to be, Mundipharma mums and dads, we look forward to seeing many more beautiful baby arrival announcements.”