January 1, 2018, Whirlpool Corporation will expand paid parental leave benefits for its employees. New mothers will now receive 12 weeks of paid leave, while new fathers and adoptive parents, as well as spouses and domestic partners of new mothers, will receive four weeks of paid leave.
Employees who give birth or adopt a new child on or after January 1, 2018 will be able to take advantage of the new policy.
“At Whirlpool Corporation, we understand our employees’ families come first,” said Carey Martin, Whirlpool Corporation Vice President of Global Human Resources. “We know the needs of our employees are constantly changing and evolving, and that we need to change and evolve alongside them. This new policy is the result of intensive research by our benefits team that takes into account the most up-to-date trends and best practices for the workplace. It’s simply the right thing to do.”
2017 marks the 100th anniversary of Whirlpool Corporation’s founder Lou Upton’s decision to offer paid vacation- a benefit that was unheard of at the time. In a letter, Upton wrote that his goal was to encourage employees to spend time with their families. In 2018, these expanded paid leave opportunities are an example of the company’s ongoing dedication to providing employees with an environment that allows them to keep their work and life in balance.
“For decades, Whirlpool Corporation has offered parental leave benefits for new families,” said Ed Mohr, Vice President of Employee Total Rewards at Whirlpool Corporation. “In 2018, we’re adding four additional weeks at 100 percent pay for mom’s, for a total of 12 weeks. We are also adding four weeks at 100 percent pay for dads, domestic partners and adoptive parents. Parental Leave is part of our commitment to helping families keep work and life in balance.”
Whirlpool Corporation has also introduced a new benefit program that provides nursing mothers the ability to receive reimbursement for services that allow them to ship breastmilk home while traveling for business. The benefit empowers working mothers to take advantage of and participate in business travel opportunities, while easing some of the difficulties of traveling while nursing.
Previously, Whirlpool Corporation’s parental leave policy allowed new mothers to take up to eight weeks of paid leave, depending on delivery type, with the option of extending their leave, unpaid, under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). New fathers and adoptive parents, as well as spouses and domestic partners of new mothers were eligible to take unpaid leave under FMLA following the birth or arrival of their child.