In 2018, we began offering Caregiver Leave for our U.S. employees as a way to care for aging parents, ill spouses and children with medical needs, or to bond with a newborn/newly adopted child without sacrificing their own paid sick leave or vacation. This program has been embraced by numerous employees, making it easier to care for loved ones.
The top three reasons Promega employees cited for requesting caregiver leave were:
- Caring for an aging or seriously ill parent.
- Bonding with a new child.
- Caring for a child or spouse with a serious health condition.
Since the program’s inception, nearly 200 employees have used caregiver leave. One of our employees shares her experience:
My mom was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer in August of 2015. We went through three years of treatments, planned and unplanned surgeries and countless hospital stays. I was granted Caregiver Leave in April 2018 when she had a severe reaction to her treatment and spent a week in the ICU. Caregiver Leave allowed me to be in the hospital and at home with her while she was at her sickest and during the last moments of her life without me having to worry about maxing out my PTO or having to take time off unpaid. – Leslie Tracy