https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:51:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly/page/2#post-2193199 Fri, 29 May 2015 09:18:17 +0000 WinterBee 2193199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Mine is very family friendly. I'm an elementary teacher so I have weekends and all holidays off which will be great when raising a family.<br /> There's always a couple pregnant people in every school I've been to and I've never heard anything negative about it, and from what I hear colleagues and principals are very helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly/page/2#post-2193187 Fri, 29 May 2015 09:09:40 +0000 wrkbrk 2193187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catomd00: Ack! Thanks for the info! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly/page/2#post-2192765 Thu, 28 May 2015 20:35:53 +0000 catomd00 2192765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wrkbrk: my company has a bright horizons on campus and its positively awful. Soooo many inspection violations! It's so expensive and has a really long waiting list. (18 months for infant room currently) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly/page/2#post-2192693 Thu, 28 May 2015 20:02:21 +0000 ALV91711 2192693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: That's a good point. I haven't had a boss say anything about how many sick days I've taken with DS. It isn't so bad now but when I first went back to work I was missing a couple days a month minimum and they paid me for them all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly/page/2#post-2192365 Thu, 28 May 2015 16:07:18 +0000 Modern Daisy 2192365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not really. Maternity leave is minimal, no flex schedules or wfh for the most part. And i get dinged with pro hours every single time i leae early or come late to take care of LO. I am really hoping this changes though because otherwise I will quit in a few years, once the mortgage is paid off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly/page/2#post-2192359 Thu, 28 May 2015 16:05:48 +0000 bunnylove08 2192359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My department is. My coworkers with school aged children are able to bring them in during holidays that the school is closed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2192322 Thu, 28 May 2015 15:50:50 +0000 wrkbrk 2192322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: Have you had any experience with Bright Horizons? DW also works at a college where one is on campus (and likely what we will use when DS comes). Curious for any insight!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2192262 Thu, 28 May 2015 15:12:34 +0000 ms.line 2192262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My organization doesn't have a great maternity leave policy - 6 weeks paid at 60%, but they will give you over the FMLA 12 weeks if you can afford to take it unpaid. We have a lot of flexible working options, which is nice - flex hours, remote work, 9/80 schedules, and "full time flex," which allows you to drop down to 32 hours a week and keep your full time benefits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191991 Thu, 28 May 2015 13:16:11 +0000 turkeylurkey 2191991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd like to think that as the business owner my company is family oriented. We have worked with parents on their job hours so that they can arrive later and leave early to pick-up or drop-off their kids. We've also allowed them to bring their kids to work when they've been sick or have gotten early release from school. When someone has a family death we will let them off with pay and I try to send a nice plant or food.<br /> However, I do have 3 employees who currently abuse things. They are late, leave early or are absent at least once if not twice a week. Each time they claim it is to take care of a sick child. It's starting to become a problem. The other employees hardly miss. So when they do and say it's because of a sick child etc... you believe them and really want to help them out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191863 Thu, 28 May 2015 12:27:10 +0000 birdofafeather 2191863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work for myself so yes and no. Yes in that I get to make my own hours, get to hang with my kid, and don't have to be super scheduled which works. BUT I book out dates a year in advance and there is no flexibility with that. So as much as I try to plan around set dates, sometimes I have to power through even when I'd rather not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191814 Thu, 28 May 2015 11:50:41 +0000 Mermaidri 2191814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes!! thankfully, I work for a toy company that ensures you have the means to enjoy a great work life balance!! We have flex time so working from home isn't an issue which is great for appointments and child needs. Plus half day Fridays year round!! :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191811 Thu, 28 May 2015 11:48:11 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2191811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>While I wouldn't say my company as a whole is, my department is. I have a flexible work schedule, work from home two days/week and my boss is very understanding when it comes to childcare issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191807 Thu, 28 May 2015 11:44:10 +0000 plantains 2191807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. I work for a foreign govt in the US and so we have a very Euro approach to the work place. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191805 Thu, 28 May 2015 11:43:04 +0000 .twist. 2191805@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TrailRunner: haha, I will help ease your pain. </p> <p>In Canada and no. Not really. There are no perks and my boss is not very compassionate or understanding. We have 6 days flex a year for personal days, doctors, dentists, sick, etc. Then I have to use holiday time. </p> <p>ETA: Oh, and I cannot bring my kid to work unless it was for a maybe 5 minute "hello". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191782 Thu, 28 May 2015 11:30:26 +0000 snowjewelz 2191782@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. People's kids come by all the time and my boss is pretty flexible for when I suddenly need to stay home, come in late/leave early, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191646 Thu, 28 May 2015 10:18:01 +0000 TrailRunner 2191646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>These topics always make me wish I lived in Canada. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191644 Thu, 28 May 2015 10:17:00 +0000 looch 2191644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it has so much to do with the nature of the work, I have an office job that I can do from anywhere, but yes, I would vote the company that I work for as family friendly.</p> <p>eta: And our parent company is European, so there's that influence. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191606 Thu, 28 May 2015 10:07:25 +0000 daniellemybelle 2191606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, very, but I freelance part-time so it's part of the deal. I will say that sometimes I wish I had a job with sick/vacation time. But the trade-offs have been worth it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191587 Thu, 28 May 2015 10:01:19 +0000 Anagram 2191587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Chillybear: I hate the whole "I did it, so everyone should do it". That's totally fine if one person/family decides that 6 weeks is enough time for them to feel ready to return to work, but that doesn't mean it's an ideal situation for EVERYONE who has a child.</p> <p>I was a mess 6 weeks postpartum--there's no way I could have been a good employee at that point. I had a really hard time at 5 months pp. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191554 Thu, 28 May 2015 09:51:45 +0000 catomd00 2191554@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. I work for a large health system but not in a clinical dept so my dept is more flexible then others due to the nature of the job. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191552 Thu, 28 May 2015 09:49:57 +0000 Corduroy 2191552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I think my company is family friendly. They allow you to adjust your schedule because it's a not super lucrative field in the Bay Area so A) almost everyone is part of a two income (or single parent) household B) commutes suck so almost all parents are doing either pick up or drop off. Lots of people work 7:30-4:30 or 9-6. Also, we're (unofficially) allowed to work from home when the kids are sick. My company is pretty health-focused and nobody wants extra germs. People periodically bring in school age kids and set them up at their desk on teach in-service days if they can't get out of being in the office. </p> <p>My last company did not allow you to take sick days or work from home to care for a sick child so there was a lot of fibbing going on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191509 Thu, 28 May 2015 09:28:29 +0000 aegie 2191509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work for a huge bank and when we hire outside law firms, we also ask for diversity numbers too. But ironically, our bank is still very traditional. Working remotely is frowned upon because you're not "working with your peers" and of my group of 13 there are only 3 females. if you include admins, 6 of 17 are females. Very male driven/encouraged. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191477 Thu, 28 May 2015 09:03:51 +0000 Astro Bee 2191477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Tinyperson: I like that - "people friendly." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191474 Thu, 28 May 2015 09:02:06 +0000 Chillybear 2191474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My company thinks its family friendly and i guess it could be a whole lot worse but there are definitely areas that could be improved.<br /> In the last three years we've had 7 employees have children. The "official" pumping room is a room off the bathroom with a room divider screen. I get the max vacation days (15) plus 3 PTO days. There is no option to work from home. I can come in early of stay late to make 40 hours. Most of my coworkers took 6 weeks or less maternity leave. I had to fight to take 12 (7 of which were unpaid). There is very much an attitude, esp among the higher ups (with college age kids) that well we made it work you can too, except most of them had hired help or a parent that stayed home or werent in the workforce until their kids were in grade school. Most of my coworkers are the breadwinners in their families, and their husbands can be the flexible parent. In our family, I have to be the flexible parent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191473 Thu, 28 May 2015 08:59:57 +0000 Astro Bee 2191473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Absolutely! I work for the government, but our department has made strides in the last decade or two in becoming much more family friendly. I've been asked to bring in my son to meet everyone while on my (year-long) maternity leave. And my department bumps up the pay on top of what the government normally pays for employment insurance benefits (which is 51% of your salary in Canada). One male co-worker recently had his 4th kid, and there was no heartache that he was taking another several months of parental leave. It's also encouraged to adjust work hours to meet daycare pick-up/drop-off timings. Very family friendly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191447 Thu, 28 May 2015 08:40:08 +0000 tinyperson 2191447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: Hard to know! I think likely. I know among the accounting firms, the benefits are about the same because they're all trying to attract from the same talent pool. I guess because we have the mat leave framework that we do have in Canada, companies can differentiate themselves in other ways by offering different benefits than you might see in the States. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191428 Thu, 28 May 2015 08:22:35 +0000 yoursilverlining 2191428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, and I love it! Working mothers are treated just like working fathers, instead of being treated like shit, or like they don’t care about their kids. I never hear “don’t you wish you stayed home?” – and I’m not treated any differently because I have a young child. They are pumping rooms in every building on campus (3 buildings), and I know a few women who pump and they get NO grief from anyone about it - they pump whenever they need, no need to schedule it, etc. You are strongly encouraged to take ALL of your PTO time every year, and we get generous PTO packages. Every manager in my particular chain has stressed that family comes first, always. Depending on your position (i.e., do you have a laptop, etc.), WFH is absolutely fine to do, especially if you have to care for a sick kid. </p> <p>Our company has a Bright Horizons daycare center on its campus, and they give $500 to each employee for their kid’s 529 account. They also have weekly mentoring programs for local youth (matching employees to in-need youth) where the kids are bused to our work to get help with homework, and tons of other programs matching employees to youth programs in our area that need volunteers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191423 Thu, 28 May 2015 08:17:31 +0000 avivoca 2191423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's friendly in that we have a good number of sick days and I don't have to provide a doctor's note. My boss is flexible with my coming and going as long as I have the comp time to make up the hours. I was able to take 12 weeks unpaid for mat leave. But on the whole, it's kind of difficult because we have a lot of evening events that I can't work when my husband is out of town. It's definitely a juggling act. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191418 Thu, 28 May 2015 08:13:20 +0000 mrsjyw 2191418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Very friendly. I have a flex schedule, the benefits are great for maternity leave (and others as well), there are three mother's/nursing/pumping rooms within my building, and overall they're very encouraging of work/life balance!</p> <p>I work in the HR industry and I've seen a shift of a lot of companies (mostly regional and corporate) who are striving to include diversity as a company initiative/goal like what your friend mentioned is happening at her company! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-your-company-family-friendly#post-2191414 Thu, 28 May 2015 08:10:21 +0000 mrs. wagon 2191414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For an agency, my company is extremely family friendly. In general it's not but I have a great boss who I keep open communication with and that helps a lot. </p>