Few life events are as transformative as parenthood, and the changes new parents experience can be overwhelming. To help in the transition to parenthood, the Duane Morris law firm has adopted a unique policy—the Ramp Down/Ramp Up Parental Leave Policy—so its attorneys can better prepare for and return from parental leave.

"It is incredibly important for organizations to recognize that employees require support when children join their lives, not only during leave itself but also when preparing for leave and returning to work following leave," said Elinor Murarova, an attorney with the firm in Chicago. She has two young boys—3.5 years and 15 months—and used the firm's policy with both.

"The demands of parenthood are fluid and do not start and end with leave," Murarova added. "Policies similar to Ramp Down/Ramp Up benefit companies by giving employees the space and support that they need to prepare for parenthood—and to parent—while maintaining high levels of productivity and commitment to the company."

Firm's Policy

The ramp-down component of the policy applies to the four-week period immediately prior to leave, said Linda Hollinshead, an attorney with Duane Morris in Philadelphia.

Attorneys may request to have their billable-hours expectation reduced by 30 percent for up to four weeks before their anticipated leave starts. There is no reduction in the attorneys' base compensation during the ramp-down month.

The ramp-up component applies to the three-month period...

Read Full Story: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pa...