According to a statement made to the public by the bank, the new policy offers one week fully paid paternity leave to male employees and gives them the chance to care for their offspring and spend some quality time with the new addition to their family while supporting the new mother who needs the break. This will be effective January 2018.
Also included in the new policy is a surrogacy or adoptive leave with full pay for three months for the few staff of the bank. The statement, signed by Head, Group Human Resources, Bolaji Agbede, say:
“These benefits supplement the 12 weeks of paid leave Access Bank currently provides to birth mothers.
The policy also complements the Bank’s existing health and flexible workplace benefits, which support work-life balance,”
Agbede was quoted to have said that paid parental leave allows parents to truly bond with their new child, balance their work schedule and help reduce conflict with parental obligations. Agbede said:
“Studies have shown that fathers who take paternity leave are more likely to take an active role in child care tasks and will continue to play this role long after the period of leave has ended.
“It is important for the new father to take time off, regardless of family structure. This new policy is an evidence of the bank’s support to employees during this wonderful but challenging time in their lives.”
She added,
“Furthermore, a pregnant employee who has been in the bank’s employment for 12 consecutive months also has the option of six calendar months’ maternity leave with two-thirds of full month pay, while the surrogacy or adoptive leave period is three calendar months with full pay or six calendar months leave with two-thirds of full month pay.”