Supporting Your Family: Cook Children’s to Roll Out Paid Parental Leave
You heard a little bit about this topic during a recent Town Hall Meeting or read about it in the Star-Telegram, but we have a few more details for you below.
A new benefit at Cook Children’s will provide six weeks of paid parental leave (PPL) for eligible employees and their partners who give birth or adopt a child, effective June 30, 2024. Learn more about PPL by viewing our most Frequently Asked Questions. If you have other questions, please leave a comment below (your name will appear in the comment) or email us here.
“This new benefit is a huge step in supporting the well-being of our employees on and off the job, and seeing the world through your eyes,” said Rick Merrill, Cook Children’s president and CEO. “As a children’s health care organization, we understand the joy and precious time for bonding with your infant or newly adopted child. Paid parental leave helps reinforce our culture where every employee feels like family.”
We know that having a baby and adoption are huge milestones – and also a period of celebration and transition. Our new PPL benefit will provide six straight weeks of salary while you’re home loving and caring for your new little one.
This is good news for our employees because it means you no longer have to use PTO or go without pay while you’re adjusting to a new infant or child at home.
"We’re excited to support our employees as they grow their families and welcome new children into their homes,” said Keith Holtz, Chief Administrative Officer. “The addition of paid parental leave demonstrates our commitment to respecting and valuing our team members. It's a benefit that reflects our ongoing mission to attract and retain top talent to the Cook Children’s workforce.”
All full-time and half-time employees are eligible for PPL after their hire or status change. If both parents work for Cook Children’s, both parents are eligible for the paid time. The PPL must be completed within 12 months from the birth of the baby or adoption.
“Paid parental leave is a direct result of what you told us during our benefits listening sessions last year,” said Beth Schmidt, VP Human Resources. “We heard you, and we’re making a meaningful change in response to your feedback. That’s because what's important to you matters to the leadership at Cook Children’s.”
The PPL policy is the most recent addition to the package of benefits offered to Cook Children’s employees. Those benefits include competitive pay; medical, dental, vision and disability coverage; access to Occupational Health and CareATC services; mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program and near-site therapists at the Henderson CareATC clinic; and programs for physical and financial wellness. Appreciation for those benefits played a role in Cook Children’s earning a top spot last month on the 2024 Forbes America’s Best Large Employers list.
Why keep expanding the benefits we provide? Because every day you deliver on our Promise to do everything for the patients in our care. Your compassion, skill and collaboration make Cook Children’s widely known and trusted for health care excellence.
Attention physicians on a collections-based compensation model: Please click here to read how this new benefit impacts financial statements and compensation.