Leave donation programs, benefit programs that allow employees to donate unused leave to co-workers in need (such as those needing time to care for an ill child or parent), are growing in popularity, as reported by a recent McClatchy news article.
The prevalence of the programs was spurred on by Hurricane Katrina, when employees at national organizations sought ways to help their co-workers in areas affected by the hurricane. Other programs have been around for a long time, including that of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company in Neenah, Wisconsin, who has had a leave donation program in place for a decade. Among the major employers with leave donation programs are American Airlines, Marriott Corporation, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealth Group, Charles Schwab and the U.S. government.
Employers tout these programs as great recruitment and retention tools. Carol Sladek, a principal at Hewitt Associates who was quoted in the McClatchey article, sees these programs as one more way -- and a cost-effective one at that -- to help employees with their work life balance:
Well-designed programs cost employers nothing or save a little money. That's because donated leave programs usually stipulate that only time is given -- not hourly wages -- and the pay grades of donors tend to be higher than the pay grades of beneficiaries.
The article also provides tips for starting a leave sharing program.
A client of mine, a large health care institution, has had a leave sharing program for some time. Based on discussions with their employees, I know that the program is seen as a reinforcement of the organization's culture of caring for its workers, and a very positive way to express its mission, which is rooted in Judeo-Christian values.
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