Schneider Electric unveils global family leave policy

Schneider Electric today came out with a new global family leave policy for its employees that will provide fully-paid parental, care and bereavement leave across all countries.
The policy will support Schneider Electric employees worldwide by providing paid personal time, enabling them to better manage their life and work.
Under the policy, there will be 12 weeks of paid leave for the primary parent -- both natural birth and adoption. There is also a provision of 2 weeks of paid leave for the secondary parent, a company release said.
The policy also entails one week of care for an immediate family member that either needs elder care or care for a serious health condition and one week of bereavement leave for death of an immediate family member.

"The global family leave policy will reinforce our diversity and inclusion ambition of providing equal opportunities to everyone, everywhere and ensuring all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best," said Olivier Blum, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice-President at Schneider Electric.
The policy will be deployed gradually, with more than 40 countries, including the US, Mexico, China and India, implementing by January 2018, and 100 per cent global deployment by January 2019.
"If a country's legal requirement or current practice is more than the minimum standards, the higher standards will be followed," the company release said.

Eligibility within a country may vary based on local laws as well as current eligibility for the Schneider Electric benefits, the company added.