PL+US Employer Scorecard Ranks Deloitte, IBM as Most Family Friendly Companies in U.S.

According to recent research by PL+US, 20 companies changed their paid family leave policies in 2018, providing almost 5 million people with new or expanded access to paid family leave. 

Deloitte came in first place, offering 5-8 weeks of childbirth recovery leave, 16 weeks of parental leave, 16 weeks of family caregiving leave, and 16 weeks of personal medical leave. Their policies are equal for all types of parents (birthing, non-birthing, and adoptive), and all employees (salaried, hourly, field, part-time). 

IBM came in second place, offering all employees 8 weeks of childbirth recovery leave, 12 weeks of parental leave, 5 days of family caregiving leave, and 13-26 weeks of personal medical leave at 66%-100% of pay depending on length of employment. 

Bank of America Corporation, H&M, Microsoft, EY, Apple, Verizon Communications, Nordstrom, and The Home Depot rounded out the top 10.

Their analysis of policy changes suggests that dads, adoptive parents, and part-time and hourly workers saw the greatest gains. In 2016, most policies were only available to salaried, birthing mothers. However, 72% of employers that disclosed their policies in 2018 now provide paid leave equally to all parents. Additionally, more than half of reported leave policies are equal for all classes of employees.

1 in 6 people provide unpaid care for a loved one who is ill or has a disability, and 60% of caregivers have reported the need to make changes to their career to take on caregiving responsibilities. With 10,000 people in the U.S. turning 65 everyday and an increasingly tight job market, employers are increasingly required to incorporate caregiving into their family leave policies. PL+US reports that companies as diverse as Cargill, Darden Restaurants, Deloitte, EY, General Electric, H&M, IBM, Nike, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Wells Fargo are meeting the broader needs of their employees with new caregiving policies.

In this year’s study, Deloitte, IBM, Microsoft, Levi Strauss & Co, General Electric, Xerox, and Starbucks confirmed their support for paid family leave legislation. According to PL+US, there is an unprecendented number of bipartisan congresspeople who endorse the paid family leave legislation, and it is expected to gain momentum in the 116th Congress.