EY Extends Parental Leave in MENA to Encourage Gender Diversity in the Workplace

EY has announced a new parental leave policy for new mothers and fathers, extending maternity leave in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to 16 weeks and granting a paternity leave of one week. EY implemented its new policy - effective as of 1 July, 2018 - for female and male employees welcoming a child through birth, adoption or surrogacy, in line with the Company’s efforts to encourage a gender diverse workforce and retain talent.

The new structure is designed to allow a longer period of time for parents to bond with their children, empowering them to transition back into an office setting that is flexible and accommodating of their family needs - a significant extension from the previous ten week maternity and one day paternity leave. Complementing the new changes, EY employees are also being trained and encouraged in aiding their colleagues to adapt to work life after being away on leave.

“At EY, we believe a gender diverse workforce not only makes good business sense, but is also an asset to the communities we live and work in. We extended the EY parental leave policy to help parents manage the new balance between career and family. As a company that employs strong female leadership, we especially understand the significance of maternity leave and the role it plays in allowing women to build a strong foundation for their children and family life. By creating an environment where women have the flexibility to manage their transition back to work and have greater control over their responsibilities, we hope to encourage more women to continue to expand their career opportunities within EY after becoming a parent,” said Rachel Ellyard, MENA Talent Leader at EY.

As part of its commitment to attracting the highest talent pool and raising industry-wide standards, EY will offer new parents additional benefits. These include the option to extend their leave for up to one year; an offer of formal or informal flexible timings for parents returning to work; special arrangements for breastfeeding and nursing time at the workplace; and Keeping in Touch (KIT) days where employees on parental leave can arrange specific days for project updates with their teams to enable a smooth and stress-free transition back into the workplace. Employees who need further support during the transition period will also have access to specialized family coaching sessions through the EY MENA Coaching Centre. These comprise dedicated sessions for fathers who need help balancing the roles of supporting a family and managing work commitments.

“We are proud to raise the benchmark of parental leave offered in the MENA region. We hope to encourage our peers and set an example of a supportive and inclusive workplace,” adds Rachel.

The new parental leave policy has been implemented on a MENA-wide basis including  the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Iraq.