Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) is launching a new parental leave benefit providing four weeks of paid time off to employees who have a baby or adopt a child.
Regardless of gender, employees are now eligible to receive four weeks of fully paid time off within the first year of a child’s birth or adoption, in addition to existing paid medical leave and paid time off benefits.
“Harris recognizes the importance of this special time in our employees’ lives,” said William M. Brown, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Providing parents with the flexibility to balance work and family is something we take pride in.”
The new offering broadens the company’s comprehensive range of employee benefits, including family adoption assistance, flexible spending accounts for childcare, dedicated expectant mother parking, and standard seclusion rooms for nursing mothers.
In 2016, the company became one of the first in the aerospace industry to offer discretionary paid time off with no pre-determined limit. Earlier this year, the company granted non-executive employees 10 shares of Harris common stock that will vest over two years.
Harris was named one of the top five aerospace and defense industry companies in a 2017 workforce study of issues important to employees and potential employees. The 2017 Aviation Week Workforce Study ranked companies based on challenging technological opportunities, career advancement, individual contribution value, and pay and benefits.
