Canada Life will offer paid time off to employees who are going through fertility treatment and those that experience the heartbreak of pregnancy loss, the company has said.
The new leave policies for employees in the UK and Isle of Man were unveiled during ‘Baby Loss Awareness Week’ (9 to 15 October).
In the same week, the government extended its scheme to offer certificates that officially recognise the loss of a baby to more people by removing the cut off date of September 2018.
Enhanced parental and family policies
The financial service company’s new paid leave for fertility treatment and pregnancy loss are part of a range of parental and family policy enhancements unveiled this week.
From 1 January 2025, staff at the firm will be eligible for 26 weeks of paid maternity leave or 16 weeks of paid paternity leave. This includes child adoption and surrogacy.
Employees having fertility treatment, and their partners, will be able to take an additional ten days of paid leave a year.
The employer said that these enhanced policies will be available to people from their first day in role, adding that the changes show its commitment to supporting people during key moments in their lives.
Lindsey Rix-Broom, chief executive at Canada Life UK, said: “We care deeply about supporting our colleagues, not just at work but during the milestones and challenges they encounter throughout their lives. These enhancements reinforce our efforts to build a workplace that focuses on the needs of our people, and align with our wider ambition to ensure our colleagues flourish at Canada Life whilst balancing work and family life.
“Each individual will have a unique experience and journey, and we know that the interactions you have at work can be pivotal. We engaged closely with colleagues as part of this process to understand how we can support them, and these policies reflect our focus on prioritising the wellbeing of our people during the times when they need it most.”
