Nationwide recognized as a top company for working mothers
Working parents suddenly found themselves juggling work and family needs all at once when schools moved to virtual learning and daycares closed earlier this year due to COVID-19.
“Moms, especially, put a lot of pressure on themselves,” says Chastity Cantu, a Nationwide employee in San Antonio and board member of the Moms of Nationwide Employee Resource Group (ERG). “We often feel we need to perform 100% in both areas of our life at the same time.”
Cantu – who has five children, ages 4 to 19, plus a 1-month-old grandson at home – says that, even before the pandemic, she felt supported by all levels of leadership to manage her work life and family life.
As a result of the support and resources Nationwide offers working parents, like Cantu, Nationwide just earned a spot on Working Mother’s 2020 100 Best Companies list.
The list recognizes companies that support their employees with inclusive family-friendly policies. This is the first time Nationwide has received this honor.
“Nationwide is proud to support our working parents, whether that’s helping them balance work and family during this unprecedented time or meet their everyday needs,” says Gale King, chief HR and administrative officer. “We value the contributions they make, and it’s important that we offer resources and benefits to help them be their best at home and at work.”
The company’s comprehensive benefits enable working parents to live a balanced life. These include:
- Thirty consecutive working days (six weeks) of paid parental leave for new birth or adoptive parents. Mothers receive up to 14 weeks of paid time off following a birth. This includes parental leave and six to eight weeks of short-term disability, depending on the type of delivery.
- Adoption assistance of up to $6,000 for adoption-related expenses.
- Infertility benefits are covered for employees and their spouse or domestic partner enrolled in certain health plan options.
- Dependent care flexible spending accounts that allow employees to save pre-tax dollars for childcare expenses.
- Backup care program for when regular childcare is unavailable.
- Maternity assistance program that helps parents prepare for the birth or adoption of a child.
- Moms of Nationwide ERG that enables working parents to connect with one another across the company.
Cantu says it was easy to take advantage of the benefits Nationwide offers new parents when she gave birth to her youngest daughter, and an occupational health nurse was available through the maternity services program to answer her questions. She’s heard countless examples from other parents who’ve had the same experience.
“I feel valued as a working mother,” Cantu says. “It’s one of the things I appreciate most about working at Nationwide.”