Work/Life Balance
More Law Firms Boost Maternity Leave to 18 Weeks
Posted Mar 18, 2008, 06:58 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss
About a dozen large law firms have boosted maternity leave from 12 to 18 weeks in one of the first significant changes to parental policies in several years.
One of the first to change its policy was Sullivan & Cromwell, which made the decision in July, the National Law Journal reports. Others that jumped on board with 18-week maternity leaves include Arnold & Porter; Covington & Burling; Debevoise & Plimpton; Hogan & Hartson; Latham & Watkins; Mayer Brown; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; and Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
Several firms also increased paid leave for fathers who are primary caregivers from four to 10 weeks. Adoptive parents who are primary caregivers are also getting more paid leave, with some firms giving 10 weeks and others 18 weeks.
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Comments
Posted by Angie - 1 month, 3 weeks, 4 days, 11 hours, 50 minutes ago
This trend will probably trickle down in ten or so years....
Posted by Hope to adopt - 1 month, 3 weeks, 4 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes ago
I don’t see why fathers can’t get the equivalent amount of leave, or why there is less leave given to people who adopt children. If anything, an adoptive parent is going to need more time to properly bond with their child.
Posted by MommyEsq - 1 month, 3 weeks, 4 days, 5 hours, 23 minutes ago
Lord I wish that would happen! I’m currently pregnant with my second. With the first baby I didn’t qualify for FMLA and received 6 weeks unpaid. Thankfully with this one I will qualify for FMLA and will receive 12 weeks...unpaid. Paid maternity leave sounds like the ultimate luxury to me. As the primary earner in my household, losing my income for 3 months is a huge blow. It’s actually surprising to me how many people I talk to that think that maternity leave is generally paid, when that is not the case. I work in-house and love my job, my hours, my workload, etc. But from time to time - like when I read articles like this - I long for the souped-up benefits that BIGLAW offers.
Posted by BIGLAW 1ST YEAR - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 days, 23 hours, 2 minutes ago
I guess I will have to reverse this trend once I make my way up the ranks of the firm. This is discrimination pure and simple. These costs are primarily borne by men, but also by women who choose to not have children.
Posted by GiantJackie - 1 month, 3 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 47 minutes ago
In Denmark you get 18 MONTHS!!! This is but a very small move in the right direction.
Posted by former biglaw - 1 month, 2 weeks, 5 days, 4 hours, 50 minutes ago
There really should be a similar benefit offered to people who choose not to have children. I know having a child is not easy but this is a benefit given to some and not to others. I don’t know of any firm that gives 18 weeks of paid leave, for example, when someone has to have cancer treatments. Or when someone needs to care for an elderly parent. Or even just someone who wants to spend a few months doing volunteer work for their community. To some extent, this is discriminatory.