Firms offer Staff 'Peternity' Leave..........  Several large businesses are offering their staff 'peternity' leave to look after their sick pets or to take their pets to the vet, while others will consider allowing compassionate leave if an animal dies, according to The Times. "Employment experts say that bosses are recognising the importance that people place in their pets" the paper says, adding that arrangements that allow time off for pet care could make employers more attractive to potential recruits.
The courier service, a London delivery firm introduced a 'peternity' policy last July (2006) that allows workers two days' paid annual leave to tend to their pets.
 Halifax and Bank of Scotland both allow workers time off to care for sick pets as long as they arrange for their work to be covered. Royal Mail has said it will consider allowing compassionate leave if a pet dies. Last year a Rotherham postman won his claim for unfair dismissal after he was sacked for taking a week off following the death of his dog, Brandy. | 
Research by insurance firm Petplan has found that 35% of its customers have taken time off work to look after pets or settle in new animals. Half said they took a week off each year for pet care reasons potentialls costing British businesses £19 million annually. 
Instead of giving workers time off to care for their pets, Internet firm Google encourages staff to bring their dogs into the office. It believes thats it's staff's ability to keep a dog in their workplace may enhance the quality of their work life. The firm has issued a "Dog Policy" that owners must follow if they wish to bring their dogs to work. 
Employers Briefing - Issue No 340 Kindly sent in by Helen Ings. |
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