Dayton law firm offers expanded parental leave benefits

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, which has Dayton offices, has announced what it calls “a new industry leading parental leave policy for its attorneys.”

Effective now, the firm is providing all Taft attorneys with 16 weeks of paid parental leave for birth or adoptive parents.

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Previously, the firm’s offering to new parents was 12 weeks of paid leave to the attorney who was the child’s primary care giver and two weeks of paid leave to the attorney who was not the primary care giver, said Michelle Marek, the firm’s director of administration and marketing.

This is a benefit only for firm attorneys. Paid parental leave is available to Taft attorneys from the first day of employment, the firm said.

“We significantly enhanced our parental leave policy in our continuing effort to be the employer of choice in each of our markets and to support our attorneys with this commitment to family,” Taft Chairman and Managing Partner Robert Hicks said in a statement. “This is one of several initiatives we are undertaking to ensure a good work-life balance for our attorneys and to promote a modern, flexible and inclusive workplace.”

Taft cited the Association of Legal Administrators’ 2016 compensation survey, saying U.S. private law firms offer on average eight weeks of parental leave for primary caregivers and four weeks for non-primary caregivers.

“There is tremendous momentum underway at Taft to ensure a modern workplace culture that is truly inclusive, flexible and supportive of a strong work-life balance,” Sonya Jindal — a Taft partner and co-chair (along with Taft Partner Tracy Betz) of the firm’s Gender Advancement Committee — said in the release.

Taft Stettinius & Hollister has offices in Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and elsewhere.

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