paid time off to care for loved ones

NEW YORK (AP) — AT&T management employees now have a unique benefit: caregiver leave. This allows them to take up to 15 days off each year to care for ailing children or other relatives, without using their vacation or sick days. In the U.S., paid caregiver time off is rare, as there is no federal law requiring employers to offer it. AT&T’s Vice President of Global Benefits, Juli Galloway, stated that the company introduced this benefit in 2021 to assist their management employees in balancing their personal and professional lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-management employees are not eligible for this benefit, as their contracts are negotiated separately through their union.

Q: How did AT&T come up with the idea of offering caregiver leave?

A: We started receiving feedback from our employees about their difficulties in managing their family lives. This particularly affected the “sandwich generation,” who are taking care of both their children and aging parents. Our employee population is slightly older compared to other tech companies, and we realized that focusing solely on paid parental leave was not enough. We wanted to support our employees in a broader sense, which led to the creation of caregiver leave.

Q: How does the caregiver leave benefit work?

A: Employees can take up to 15 days off in a calendar year to care for their family members. To illustrate, I personally used caregiver leave when my 83-year-old mother broke her ankle. I accompanied her to the orthopedic surgeon and supported her during doctor visits, all without sacrificing my vacation time. It was crucial for us to ensure that our employees can still enjoy their vacation time for leisure purposes.

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Q: What has been the response from employees regarding caregiver leave?

A: Initially, I had concerns about potential abuse of the benefit. I worried that employees might take advantage of the additional 15 days off each year. However, I’m pleased to say that this hasn’t been the case. Since its implementation two and a half years ago, approximately 15% of our management employees have utilized caregiver leave. On average, employees who have used this benefit took 4.1 days off.

Q: How do you ensure that employees feel encouraged to use caregiver leave?

A: Education and communication play significant roles in empowering our employees to utilize this benefit. We organize benefits fairs, distribute a benefits newsletter eight times a year, and actively participate in company events. We make a concerted effort to emphasize that caregiver leave is just as important as our other benefits.

Q: How much did the pandemic influence the decision to introduce caregiver leave?

A: The pandemic played a crucial role in our decision-making. We observed an increase in burnout and isolation among employees, especially during the early stages of the pandemic. Burnout emerged as a top factor affecting employees’ mental health. In response, we recognized the need to introduce something that would better support our employees in managing their lives. Caregiver leave was one of the solutions born out of this evaluation.