The announcement comes more than three months after the supermarket announced it will give trans and gender diverse staff members an extra 10 days of paid gender affirmation leave.
Coles supermarket has announced it will extend paid parental leave benefits for team members across its stores, distribution and support centres nationwide.
From September 1, Coles will be removing the current 12-month eligibility period for both primary and secondary carers, meaning team members will be able to access paid parental leave benefits without having to wait.
The supermarket giant will also be increasing paid parental leave from two weeks to four weeks for secondary carers – which can be taken up to 24 months instead of 12 months after birth, adoption or surrogacy.
Staff will be offered flexibility in how the leave is taken – for example one day, multiple days, or in blocks of days.
Coles Group Chief of People and Culture Kris Webb said no one should feel like they need to hold off having a family because of their job.
“We want to make Coles a great place to work for all team members. This means supporting them through significant life moments such as planning to welcome a new addition to their family,” she said.
“For people who are having a child and wanting to work for Coles, we don’t want them to feel they need to wait to receive primary carers leave, because we know that this is not always possible. No one should feel they need to hold off having a family because of their job.”
Coles is proud to announce that team members undergoing gender affirmation will now be entitled to up to 10 days’ paid gender affirmation leave. We’ve also signed up as an official partner of @PrideCup, promoting inclusivity and diversity in sport https://t.co/aiOP6Yc6uB pic.twitter.com/uORyhvCGJz
— Coles Supermarkets (@Coles) May 18, 2022
Coles is also formalising its policy for those team members whose pregnancies don’t go to plan, with paid parental leave extended to primary carers who suffer a pregnancy loss (stillbirth) through birth, adoption, or surrogacy.
The announcement on Wednesday comes more than three months after the supermarket announced trans and gender diverse team members will be entitled up to 10 days of paid gender affirmation leave.
Coles Chief Legal and Safety Officer David Brewster said they have at least 900 team members who identify as transgender or gender diverse.
“We need to have a proper policy and education in this area so there is a clear guidance around taking leave for this important transition in their life,” he said.
Extracted from Skynews
