Irwin Mitchell doubles paternity leave

The law firm Irwin Mitchell is doubling paternity leave and introducing a number of other changes to support staff with families.

These changes will allow staff to take four weeks of paid paternity leave, regardless of position in the firm or length of service.

And the limit for staff taking time off to undertake fertility treatment will be removed and the firm now offers staff the chance to take parental leave as single days, rather than in one block.

Limits on adoption, maternity, and shared parental pay will also be removed so staff have the same parental benefits and foster parents can also have access to five days' additional leave.

The firm has also adopted a ‘flexible by choice’ approach and it hopes these changes will give its staff an improved work-life balance.

Susana Berlevy, chief people officer at Irwin Mitchell, explained that the new policies were a result of feedback from employees about what they needed most.

She said: “As more of us work from home, this was an opportunity to enhance our policies to improve work-life balance and extend flexible working to offer greater choice and inclusion in everything, from maternity and paternity leave, through to fertility treatment and fostering.

“In listening to colleagues and updating our approach, we are giving them the tools they need to perform their roles and trusting them to make the choices that will deliver the best results for their families, our clients and the communities in which we all live and work.”