Earlier this year, I wrote a column on the dismal state of paid parental leave in the United States, which trails most of the world.

At the time, I created a giant chart that highlights the various  policies at some of the largest American employers. Since we’d like to expand the chart over time —  so that it becomes a repository of sorts, highlighting the most and least generous policies — we asked readers to submit their own employers’ rules.

Nearly 175 people responded, and I’m still working my way down the list.

But one of the most absurd policies came from an employee at Fitch Ratings, who generously gives its employers “honeymoon leave” of five days off in the year they get married. But at the same time, fathers only get three days off when they bring home a newborn child. Adoptive parents also only get three paid days, though birth fathers and parents adopting children can take unpaid leave as part of the Family Medical and Leave Act: it requires larger employers and public agencies to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a child (or to care for yourself, an opposite-sex spouse, parent or child who has fallen ill).

Birth mothers, meanwhile, are eligible for six to eight weeks of short-term disability at full pay after the birth (or longer if medically necessary), a Fitch spokesman said.

All of the new details can be found at the bottom of the chart, but here are a few more additions:

At Disney, birth mothers receive full pay, as part of its “short-term illness benefits,” for up to three months, or longer when it is coordinated with state disability insurance benefits in areas where that is applicable. Then, the employee can use sick pay or vacation time that they have accrued to extend paid maternity leave beyond the 12-week period. For hourly employees, short-term disability benefits provide 60 percent of pay up to $200 a week (or more if employee elects supplemental, contributory coverage) for up to 26 weeks.

Fathers and adoptive parents can use available paid time off, including floating holidays, vacation, and, in California, a portion of sick pay.

ExxonMobil declined to provide specifics on its policy. It would only say that its “benefits programs are designed to be responsive to the needs of employees throughout a career and into retirement.  They also support ExxonMobil in attracting and retaining the most qualified employees.”

But if that’s the case, I’m not sure why they want to keep those policies a secret.

Berkshire Hathaway did not return calls, while Chevron and Wal-Mart were still working on the request at the time of publication (details will be added to the chart later).

If you want your company added to the list, please fill out the form below or write in your employer’s policy in the comment section below.

Article source: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/paid-parental-leave-policies-at-disney-fitch-and-others/?partner=rss&emc=rss