AXA launches global parental leave policy

AXA’s parent policy enhances the solutions offered to new parents in all of the 64 countries in which the Group operates. It will come into effect on January 1, 2017, entitling new parents to:

• 16 weeks of paid leave for the primary parent*, while guaranteeing a return to an equivalent role with similar terms and conditions;
• For the co-parent**, 4 weeks of paid leave, also guaranteeing a return to an equivalent role with similar terms and conditions;

AXA’s global parent policy will better support employees during a period of change in their lives, while helping them to find their professional and personal balance.

This is a major leap forward in terms of employment benefits for many AXA Group employees working in countries where public policies in support of parenthood can be much less favorable than in Europe. Although the International Labour Organization recommends a minimum maternity leave of 14 weeks, many countries continue to implement a shorter period. The United States, for example, has no mandated paid parental leave at all.

AXA believes in the benefits of having a diverse and inclusive workforce. A company where one can be both a parent and a professional, a company that trusts its employes and understands the importance of well-being in the workplace: that’s a company that drives innovation and fosters creativity.

* The primary parent is the parent who will take the primary responsibility for welcoming a child into the family. If one of the two parents is a pregnant woman, she is automatically considered to be the primary parent.

** The co-parent is the parent who will take responsibility for welcoming a child into the family but who is not pregnant and (in the case of an adoption) is not taking the primary parent leave.