Parent Time

If you’re a veteran Today’s Parent reader, the first thing you’ll notice about this list of companies offering progressive family benefits to their employees is the fact that it’s twice as long as last year’s. So many employers are now offering such a wide array of perks that it was too difficult to whittle the final selection to just 10. “When we started this list six years ago, I don’t even think all of the employers had maternity top-up,” says Richard Yerema, editor of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, the annual guide from which our list is taken. In contrast, all of this year’s top 20 offer significant top-up to parental leave benefits — the majority for up to a full 52 weeks. Flexible hours, alternative work schedules and the ability to work from home at least part of the time have also become more common among employers of all sizes. Read on for information on the entire top 20, listed alphabetically.

AMAPCEO
Public sector bargaining agent, Toronto
Full-time employees: 24

• tops up maternity and parental leave benefits to 93% of salary for 52 weeks, for new mothers, and 37 weeks for new fathers

• paid spousal leave to attend birth or adoption for up to three days over and above parental leave

• employees receive four weeks paid vacation after one year of service

• self-funded leave program allows employees to take time off with pay

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Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
Provider of social services to protect children and families in need, Toronto
Full-time employees: 597

• tops up maternity and parental leave benefits to 70% of salary for 29 weeks, including adoptive parents

• new mothers and fathers have the option of extend their leave for up to three years

• employees can take unpaid leaves of absence ranging from a few days to a full year

• family leave benefit offers eight days off at 100% of salary to deal with family-related emergencies

• new employees receive four weeks paid vacation to start, plus personal days off

• offers paid time to attend an accredited program of study

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Durham Regional Police Service
Provides police protection services, Durham Region, Ont.
Full-time employees: 1,345

• tops up maternity and parental leave benefits to 75% of salary for 52 weeks for new mothers, and 37 weeks for new fathers

• offers tuition subsidies up to $1,500 a year for continuing education

• offers alternative work options, including flex hours, telecommuting, job-sharing and compressed work weeks

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Farm Credit Canada
Provides financial and management services to farmers and agriculture businesses across the country, Regina
Full-time employees: 1,295

• tops up maternity and parental leave benefits to 95% of salary for 50 weeks for new mothers, 35 weeks for new fathers

• flexible health plan lets employees convert unused health benefits into retirement savings

• new employees receive three weeks paid vacation to start, plus six personal days per year

Originally published in Today's Parent, December 2008