Pearson is always looking for ways to add value to the employee programs we offer. With that in mind, we are pleased to announce positive changes in two current offerings. First, effective May 1, 2019, we are increasing the amount of time available to deal with serious illness as well as introducing a new maternity leave. Next, for those who may be adopting children, two coverage categories have been added to help you with the costs of the process. Let’s look at leaves first.
Parental and Serious Illness in the Family Leave (PSIL)
PSIL has increased from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. It is important to note that PSIL time can now be taken in one-day increments rather than one-week intervals. Some employees may require a period of consecutive time to contend with an extended illness. For others, the option of taking PSIL in small increments throughout the year is more helpful. Please review the FAQ’s in the announcement email for more information.
Please note: Employees who had an eligible PSIL event between January 1, 2019 and May 1, 2019 will be eligible for the 4 week PSIL benefit.
Maternity Leave
Effective May 1, 2019, we are introducing a new Maternity Leave offering. The total number of weeks of Maternity Leave depends on the amount of time taken for Short Term Disability (STD) and only applies to mothers giving birth. The Maternity Leave must be taken immediately at the conclusion of STD. Please review the following to understand how the Maternity Leave works.
6 weeks Short-Term Disability (STD)
+ 4 weeks Maternity Leave (100% pay)
10 weeks
8 weeks STD
+ 2 weeks Maternity Leave (100% pay)
10 weeks
In addition to STD and the Maternity Leave, mothers may also use PSIL which can be taken incrementally within one year of the birth.
Please note: Employees who are on STD as of May 1 due to the birth of a child will be eligible for the new Maternity Leave, which must be taken immediately after STD.
You can visit the announcement email to see FAQ’s regarding the information about the Maternity Leave policy.
As always, if you need to use any of the leave time available to you, first notify your manager. Then, reach out to your Leave Coordinator, who can provide more details and explain the process.
Financial Aid for Adoption – New Coverage Added
Financial Aid for Adoption is a program that reimburses eligible employees up to $10,000 for specific expenses related to adopting a child under the age of 18. The current policy covers adoption agency fees, legal fees, health costs and adopting children of foreign origin.
New! Beginning May 1, Pearson is adding two new categories of coverage as part of the Adoption Assistance benefit as follows:
- Step-parent adoption
- Surrogacy legal fees
For more information about Adoption Assistance at Pearson, please contact PPS at 1.877.311.0948.