More than 70 percent of companies indicated they allowed employees to take sick leave in order to care for an ill spouse, child or parent, BLR recently reported. The HR Daily Advisor Survey of Family Leave Practices had more than 900 respondents from various industries and company sizes.
Child care assistance, usually in the form of leaves of absence or flex time, was offered by 56 percent of respondents. Almost a third of companies allowed unpaid leave for childcare, while only 14 percent granted paid leave.
Elder care was slightly less supported in some respects, with 12 percent of companies offering paid leave and 28 percent giving unpaid leave. However, elder care assistance was available at 60 percent of companies, typically providing flex time, leaves of absence or information referrals. Slightly fewer employers allowed workers to use sick leave to care for parents than for spouses and children.
Spouses received the most consideration in some respects. One fifth of respondents indicated employees could take paid leave to care for a spouse, and twice as many offered unpaid leave for the same purpose.
More than half of the companies surveyed allowed employee seniority to accrue during these leaves, and approximately 60 percent continued to maintain company-funded benefits during employee leave.
