The Warehouse Group Is The First Retailer To Offer Employees 26 Weeks Fully Paid Parental Leave

From 1 January 2022, The Warehouse Group will be the first large retailer to provide fully paid parental leave to all its 12,000 employees.

The Warehouse Group will top up paid parental leave payments to 100 per cent of a team member’s salary or wage for the 26-week paid parental leave period, which includes all permanent team members across distribution and fulfilment centres, stores and support offices for The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Noel Leeming, Torpedo7 and TheMarket.com

Richard Parker, The Warehouse Group’s Chief Human Resource Officer, says the introduction of fully paid parental leave recognises the importance the company places on supporting the well-being of its team members.

“As New Zealand’s largest retail group, we recognise the responsibility we have to support our 12,000 team members, including during the exciting, important and demanding phase of becoming a parent.

“We want to support our team members to enjoy time with their new arrival and this move provides more financial security at a time that really matters to families.

“In addition to 26 weeks on full pay, we’ll also continue to support KiwiSaver contributions, and annual leave will still be accumulated as normal during the time away from work.

“We also wrap support around our team members as they return with our ‘ease back to work’ programme where for the first four weeks, our people take one day off per week, but continue to be paid as normal. For partners, we offer paid leave within 21 days either before or after the new addition joins the family.”

FIRST Union National Organiser, Ben Peterson, says “It’s great to see The Warehouse Group taking this step to look after team members who are about to become new parents and we fully support the move. This will provide team members with fairer financial support, but also gives parents the option to transition back to work at a time that works for their family. We are pleased to see that the entitlements extend to all permanent team members working in stores, fulfilment and distribution centres.”

Under the paid parental leave policy, entitlements will apply to team members who are pregnant or expecting to have permanent responsibility for a child, under the age of six, through adoption, permanent care, whāngai or permanent guardianship.

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