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Aurizon Pioneers with New Shared Care Parental Arrangements
In a first for Australia, rail-based transport business Aurizon is launching a bold new initiative to incentivise men to take on primary care of their child in the first year after birth. A booklet for employees is available with more information.
Aurizon’s new ‘Shared Care’ program will provide a financial incentive based on ‘half-pay’ for a partner to take a leave of absence to stay at home and care for their child in their first year, allowing the mother to return to work full-time.
Aurizon Managing Director & CEO Lance Hockridge said the program pushed the boundaries beyond other paternity leave arrangements presently available in Australia.
“We’re delighted to offer our employees and their families a new and financially attractive choice when they’re considering who takes on caring responsibilities of their children in the first year,” he said.
“We’ve thought outside the box to genuinely alter the dynamics of childcare responsibilities within Aurizon families. At its core this is really about reducing the potential career and financial impacts women face after extended unpaid parental leave and subsequent part-time employment.”
The ‘Shared Care’ paid partner leave is effective 1 May 2016 and can be accessed if one or both parents are Aurizon employees. It is inclusive of all families including same sex couples, single parents, birth parents and adoptive parents.
To access the program Aurizon male employees are required to take on primary care of their child for at least 13 weeks during their child’s first 12 months, while their partner returns to full time work. In this scenario the man would receive 50% of his salary while he is undertaking full time care of his child, up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
A female Aurizon employee who returns to full time work in the first year after her child is born and whose partner has taken on full time care of their child in that period (and takes leave without pay from his employer to do so) will receive 150% of her salary, also up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
Mr Hockridge said Aurizon was taking a deliberate interventionist approach in its bid to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
“We know that it won’t be for everyone, but we believe it can start to change the nature of the conversation that soon-to-be parents have ‘round the kitchen table’ when thinking about the future,” he said.
“We believe the program is the first of its kind in Australia, which makes us very proud to lead by example in changing the way our society thinks about childcare and workplace flexibility. Equalising caring responsibilities would be a big step forward.”
For more information, please contact:
Aurizon MD & CEO Lance Hockridge, Elizabeth Broderick AO (former Sex Discrimination Commissioner), and Julie McKay, Executive Director, UN Women National Committee Australia are available for interview on request. Please contact Aurizon Brand & Communications: media@aurizon.com.au
Photo caption: Aurizon employee Josie Brophy with her husband Travis and son Dash
Aurizon Managing Director & CEO Lance Hockridge said the program pushed the boundaries beyond other paternity leave arrangements presently available in Australia.
“We’re delighted to offer our employees and their families a new and financially attractive choice when they’re considering who takes on caring responsibilities of their children in the first year,” he said.
“We’ve thought outside the box to genuinely alter the dynamics of childcare responsibilities within Aurizon families. At its core this is really about reducing the potential career and financial impacts women face after extended unpaid parental leave and subsequent part-time employment.”
The ‘Shared Care’ paid partner leave is effective 1 May 2016 and can be accessed if one or both parents are Aurizon employees. It is inclusive of all families including same sex couples, single parents, birth parents and adoptive parents.
To access the program Aurizon male employees are required to take on primary care of their child for at least 13 weeks during their child’s first 12 months, while their partner returns to full time work. In this scenario the man would receive 50% of his salary while he is undertaking full time care of his child, up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
A female Aurizon employee who returns to full time work in the first year after her child is born and whose partner has taken on full time care of their child in that period (and takes leave without pay from his employer to do so) will receive 150% of her salary, also up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
Mr Hockridge said Aurizon was taking a deliberate interventionist approach in its bid to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
“We know that it won’t be for everyone, but we believe it can start to change the nature of the conversation that soon-to-be parents have ‘round the kitchen table’ when thinking about the future,” he said.
“We believe the program is the first of its kind in Australia, which makes us very proud to lead by example in changing the way our society thinks about childcare and workplace flexibility. Equalising caring responsibilities would be a big step forward.”
For more information, please contact:
Aurizon MD & CEO Lance Hockridge, Elizabeth Broderick AO (former Sex Discrimination Commissioner), and Julie McKay, Executive Director, UN Women National Committee Australia are available for interview on request. Please contact Aurizon Brand & Communications: media@aurizon.com.au
Photo caption: Aurizon employee Josie Brophy with her husband Travis and son Dash