XL Catlin announces enhanced family-friendly leave benefits and new workplace flexibility initiative

As part of its Diversity and Inclusion strategy and ongoing efforts to attract and retain the best talent, XL Catlin has announced enhanced family-friendly leave benefits, including more paid time off for maternity, adoption and family care.

Launched last year, the multi-pronged effort to increase Diversity and Inclusion also included a new workplace flexibility initiative and several programs specifically aimed at recruiting and developing women leaders.

The enhanced leave benefits vary by geography, based on local practices and laws, but in each case represent a significant benefit when compared to local practices. They are being rolled out initially in XL Catlin's largest locations, which are the US, UK, India and Switzerland, and include:

In India up to 26 weeks of fully paid maternity, adoption and surrogacy leave and four weeks of paternity leave. In addition colleagues who adopt or have a child via surrogacy will be eligible for reimbursement for some of the related expenses. Colleagues may also take up to 25 days of leave to provide care for a sick close relative or a non-related person living in the same household.

In the US up to 16 weeks fully paid maternity, adoption and surrogacy leave for the primary caregiver regardless of gender and four weeks of fully paid parental leave for the secondary caregiver, to be taken any time during the first 12 months. In addition, employees in the US who adopt or have a child via surrogacy will be eligible for reimbursement for some of the related expenses. Additional leave time will be provided to care for extended family members including siblings and parents.

In the UK up to 52 weeks of maternity and adoption leave including 26 weeks at full pay and 13 weeks of statutory pay for the primary caregiver, four weeks of fully paid paternity leave for the secondary caregiver and 10 days of paid leave to care for dependents. In addition, the Shared Parental Leave has been enhanced to provide the same level of pay as the maternity and adoption leaves.

In Switzerland up to six months of paid leave from the birth or adoption date of a child for the primary caregiver and four weeks of parental leave for the secondary caregiver. Additional leave time is also available to care for extended family members, including siblings and parents.

"An essential element to attracting and retaining the best talent in our industry is a strong commitment to diversity and an inclusive culture which provides support for all colleagues to manage the demands of work and family and embraces flexibility in the way we work and in the way we think. We believe our new and enhanced policies will further empower our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance, giving them greater flexibility in how they work and giving XL Catlin the continued benefit of their enormous contributions," said XL Catlin's Chief Human Resources Officer, Eileen Whelley.

The workplace flexibility initiative offers full-time and part-time colleagues a variety of working arrangements including flexible working locations and hours. For example, colleagues can choose to work during alternative hours outside of the 'core work' hours and can work from home or at different XL Catlin offices on different days.

An initial focus of XL Catlin's Diversity and Inclusion efforts has been an emphasis on attracting and developing more women leaders. In the past year XL Catlin has created several initiatives including programs specifically designed for distinguished women leaders and the XL Catlin "Women of the World" network in multiple cities around the world.