Asda to give staff time off for IVF
Supermarket operator will give employees paid leave for treatment
August 31 2003
Asda is to give employees having IVF treatment paid leave.
The Wal-Mart owned supermarket group, which employs around 130,000 people, believes it is the first major UK employer to take the step.
Female employees will be entitled to up to five days paid leave to cover time in hospital and recuperation, with men given up to one-and-a-half days paid leave to give their partner support.
David Smith, head of human resources at Asda, said: “Like most of our flexible working schemes this idea started on the shop-floor. There was a big increase in the number of colleagues asking for support through their fertility treatment. Our colleagues didn’t want to rely on calling in sick to cope with such an important procedure so they asked for our help.”
Asda workers can claim time off for IVF treatment on up to three occasions. If more time is needed they can arrange shift-swaps with colleagues, take unpaid leave or use holiday entitlement.
