Developer puts family first with paid leave

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - With quality employees often hard to keep, one developer has found that a family-friendly benefit can make a difference. Since the introduction of a one-week paid paternity leave program in August 2001, more than 20 employees have used the benefit.

While federal law requires employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave after the birth of a baby or adoption of a child, the majority of companies don’t offer pay for any of that time. According to a survey conducted in 1998 by the Families and Work Institute, only 13 percent of companies with more than 100 employees offered paid paternity leave in addition to vacation, sick time or other paid time off. By contrast, 53 percent provided at least some pay during maternity leave.

In the case of first golf assistant Chris Trottier, the benefit was worth staying put to keep.

“Shortly before the baby was born, I was a finalist for a position with another community,” he said. “It would have been an outstanding offer, but I chose to withdraw my application. The paternity leave was a major influence in my decision to stay.”