Researching our quality of life special, we canvassed the top ten UK firms for details on their HR policies on parental leave and flexible working, as well as other support provided to improve the lives of all staff. Below are the results
DLA Piper (UK policies)
Maternity leave: Up to 52 weeks’ maternity leave; if employee has been with DLA for 12 months or more, enhanced maternity pay comes in at 15 weeks before birth; all benefits continue when on maternity leave; return-to-work coaching.
Paternity leave: Two weeks’ paternity leave at full pay; enhanced shared parental leave allows employees to share up to 50 weeks and 37 weeks statutory shared parental leave pay with their partner.
Flexible working: Formal flexible and agile working policy; training session to encourage successful agile working.
Number of staff working part-time: Fee-earners 10%, support staff 20%.
Mental health resources: Confidential helpline; access to mental health treatment without a referral from a GP; firm works in partnership with specialist psychologists and therapists.
Clifford Chance
Maternity leave: Enhanced maternity pay for those who have worked for 18 months or more at the firm from 15 weeks before childbirth; maternity coaching; childcare choices meeting; group coaching sessions for those nearing the end of maternity leave.
Paternity leave: Two weeks’ paternity leave at full pay; enhanced shared parental leave pay.
Flexible working: Policies in place for staff to work from home and remotely.
Number of staff working part-time: Did not disclose.
Mental health resources: Mental health advocates initiative; global advice line; on-site health club; primary healthcare provided for all employees; private medical insurance provided for all employees, including mental health cover; onsite occupational health adviser.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Maternity leave: Up to 52 weeks’ maternity leave. At 15 weeks before the baby is due those that have worked at the firm for more than 18 months and have confirmed their return after childbirth receive six months’ pay at full salary with the next three months at quarter salary. Salary reviews continue; holiday entitlement is accrued as normal; personal cover on private medical insurance continues.
Paternity leave: Staff can take up to two weeks’ leave. If they have worked for the firm for more than 18 months, they will receive full pay. Enhanced shared parental pay is available to employees, subject to terms and conditions.
Flexible working: Formal requests for flexible working considered; informal requests for agile working subject to partner/line manager’s discretion.
Number of staff working part-time: Fee-earners 6%, business services staff 16%.
Mental health resources: Access to mental healthcare without the need to see a GP first as part of private medical insurance; phone, face-to-face and email counselling; income protection policy offers early intervention support; on-site occupational health physicians; resilience talks.
Allen & Overy
Maternity leave: Up to 52 weeks’ leave with 26 weeks’ full pay. Maternity coaching offered as well as coaching to the partner/manager supporting them through maternity transition.
Paternity leave: Two weeks’ paternity leave. Up to 26 weeks’ shared parental leave at full pay. Parental coaching for those taking at least three months of shared parental leave.
Flexible working: Formal flexible working policy, including part-time and term-time arrangements. Flexible working policy allowing staff to work remotely on an ad hoc basis when they need to.
Number of staff working part-time: Fee-earners 4%, support staff 19%.
Mental health resources: Resilience training delivered to over 750 people. Free advice line for those who want confidential advice on emotional wellbeing. Individuals can have up to six face-to-face sessions with a counsellor.
Linklaters
Maternity leave: Enhanced maternity pay for first 26 weeks; shared parental leave scheme; one-to-one professional coaching; working parents portal for advice.
Paternity leave: Two weeks’ leave at full pay, shared parental leave scheme.
Flexible working: ‘Our Deal’ contains policies on working from home, sabbaticals and promotion of flexible culture through ‘Linklaters Life Stories’, which showcases flexible arrangements used by colleagues.
Number of staff working part-time: Fee-earners 4%, business services 23%.
Mental health resources: On-site GP; occupational health adviser; ‘stronger minds’ mental health support service without the need for a GP referral.
Hogan Lovells
Maternity leave: Full pay for first six weeks of maternity leave and all contractual benefits, mentoring programme, and 40% pay for the remaining leave.
Paternity leave: Two weeks’ leave at full pay; shared parental leave scheme.
Flexible working: Firm-wide global agile working principles and UK agile working policy.
Number of staff working part-time: Fee-earners 9%, support staff 16%.
Mental health resources: On-site counselling on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays; chaplain service; confidential support line; on-site occupational health adviser.
Norton Rose Fulbright
Maternity leave: 100% salary for the first 28 weeks; 11 weeks at statutory maternity pay and 13 weeks’ unpaid leave.
Paternity leave: One or two weeks of consecutive paternity leave; shared parental leave policy; up to 18 weeks unpaid parental leave per child until the age of 18, with up to four weeks per year per child.
Flexible working: ‘Flex-ability’ network – self-managed employee resource group for flexible working and working from home on an ad hoc basis.
Number of staff working part-time: 17% (all staff).
Mental health resources: Mental health first aiders (35 in London); ‘Shine’ internal network, focusing on disability and health conditions; employee assistance programme for counselling; cognitive behavioural therapy and bereavement counselling; 24-hour confidential health line.
Herbert Smith Freehills
Maternity leave: Enhanced maternity pay for employees who have served one year’s continuous service; maternity and paternity coaching.
Paternity leave: Enhanced paternity pay for those employers who have served one year’s continuous service; shared parental leave policy.
Flexible working: Firm-wide formal flexible working policy; agile working policy where fee-earners can work from home one day per week.
Number of staff working part-time: Did not disclose.
Mental health resources: 24/7 employee assistance programme; mental health support via the firm’s private healthcare provider; mental health mentor programme; mindfulness and resilience training.
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang
Maternity leave: 100% salary for 26 weeks, followed by 13 weeks of statutory maternity leave pay; maternity coaching programme and development support.
Paternity leave: Two weeks’ leave at full pay; shared parental leave scheme.
Flexible working: Offers part-time working, job sharing, work from home options; firm ‘endeavours to accept as many flexible working arrangements as possible’.
Number of staff working part-time: Did not disclose.
Mental health resources: Trained mental health first aiders; on-site occupational health adviser; professional triage system in place for preliminary diagnosis of mental health issues; self-guided online resilience programme; on-site counsellor, mindfulness programme.
Slaughter and May
Maternity leave: 26 weeks’ full pay subject to service requirement; maternity coaching workshops; parenting seminars; partly subsidised first aid classes; childcare information; and regular lunches for new and expecting parents.
Paternity leave: Full pay for two weeks; shared parental leave subject to certain conditions.
Flexible working: All associates can apply to work one day a week from home; flexible working policy.
Number of staff working part-time: Fee-earners 2%, support staff 25%.
Mental health resources: Internal mental health first aiders; phone, face-to-face and email counselling; occupational health provider; direct access to a counsellor; ‘workplace wellbeing’ intranet site.
For more coverage, please return to The quality of life report