// M&S is one of the first retailers to introduce a Neonatal Leave policy
// Up to 12 weeks’ paid leave will be available to any colleague whose baby requires specialist neonatal care
Marks & Spencer has introduced a Neonatal Leave Policy, with up to 12 weeks paid leave available to any colleague whose baby requires specialist neonatal care, effective immediately.
The department store retailer unveiled the new offer this week and said “it will give families of premature babies or babies that need additional care when they are born, extra leave and pay to spend vital time with their newborn without colleagues having to worry about work or using up their maternity, paternity, or adoption leave.”
The impetus to introduce the policy was Pam Hedderman, a food sections manager at the M&S in Ealing Broadway.
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M&S said: “Pam got speaking to Jess Cooper – who works in the People team at M&S’ Support Centre in London – when she was helping out in her local store over the busy Christmas period.
“Jess found out that Pam’s son, Harrison, had a very difficult start to life when he was born prematurely; weighing 768 grams, he was no bigger than Pam’s hand.
“Pam ended up spending six months of her maternity leave in hospital with Harrison which meant she had very little time at home with him before returning to work. Jess felt inspired by Pam and Harrison’s story and set to work to influence M&S to introduce Neonatal Leave to support those who need it most.”
M&S group HR director Sarah Findlater said: “We’re continually listening to colleagues – like Pam and Jess – to make sure M&S is a great place to work for families and that means being an employer that supports them through all of life’s unexpected moments.
“We know that being a parent of a baby who requires neonatal care is an incredibly worrying time and that time may be spent with their baby in hospital, rather than at home.
“We want to do all we can to support colleagues who find themselves in this heart-breaking situation and we hope the introduction of Neonatal Leave will provide some peace of mind so that their focus can be on their baby without having to worry about pay or using up their maternity, paternity or adoption leave.”
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