The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has announced a number of industry-leading, new and enhanced family-related benefits for U.S. employees -- including enhancing benefits around adoption, child and elder care, and infant transition support.
 
Effective May 1, 2018, Paid Parental Leave will be expanded to 20 weeks and an enhanced flexibility policy for parents returning to work will be implemented. The policies apply to all eligible employees, irrespective of gender.

According to ELC, these policies are among the most comprehensive in the United States.

Michael O’Hare, executive vice president, Global Human Resources, states, “Family is important to us. We started as a family company more than 70 years ago, and today, we continue to demonstrate our philosophy of being family-first through an array of benefits that support the diverse needs of our employees. We believe providing an abundance of options to our employees will help them thrive inside and outside of work.”

Sue Mosoff, senior vice president, Global Total Rewards, adds, “Our company was founded on the belief that beauty is never one-size-fits-all, and it’s critical that we offer benefits that model this same belief – giving our employees the diverse benefits they need for optimal well-being at any stage of their lives."
 
The new and enhanced family-related benefits, programs and policies will include:

—Paid Parental Leave and Back-to-Work Flexibility Policies: Eligible employees, irrespective of gender and including parents adopting or fostering children, will be able to take 20 weeks of Paid Parental Leave at full pay and six weeks of back-to-work flexibility to allow all working parents to bond with their new child(ren) and transition back to work. This benefit is in addition to the Short Term Disability benefits typically available to mothers for six to eight weeks following childbirth.

—Adoption Assistance Program: Eligible employees can seek reimbursement up to $10,000 for eligible expenses related to the legal adoption of a child under the age of 18, or older if it’s a special needs adoption. The program covers costs such as fees relating to home surveys and legal filings; the child’s medical expenses required for adoption; and required pre- and post-adoption counseling services.

—In-Home Back-Up Child, Adult and Elder Care: Back-up care will now include in-home care for children or adults/elders (in addition to the currently offered back-up child care at centers). An Infant Transition Program is also available, offering more days of care to parents who are transitioning back to work after the birth or placement of a child.
 
These benefits, programs and policies will be available to U.S.-based, full-time, The Estée Lauder Companies benefits-eligible employees who have completed more than 90 continuous days of service.

U.S.-based, full-time benefits-eligible employees also receive: Infertility Benefits, including $20,000 per year per enrolled employee; a Student Loan Contribution Program, offering up to $100 per month towards eligible loans with a lifetime maximum of $10,000; a Tuition Reimbursement Program, which offers reimbursement for pre-approved academic courses; and digital learning initiatives, which give employees access to expert-led courses and tailored learning experiences.
 
Throughout its history, The Estée Lauder Companies says it has demonstrated a continued commitment to investing in its employees’ personal and professional success.