Currys has announced a series of new benefits to support equality, diversity and inclusion, including additional paid leave for those undergoing gender reassignment.
The tech retailer will offer six weeks’ paid gender reassignment leave on top of their usual annual leave entitlement. This can be used flexibly for appointments, surgery and recovery.
It will also offer more support for staff going through IVF, pregnancy loss, and those whose baby is born prematurely. This includes:
- paid leave for up to six appointments per fertility treatment cycle, for employees undergoing treatment and their partners
- paid premature birth leave, which will extend maternity leave by the number of days a baby was born prior to their due date if the baby was born before the 37th week of pregnancy
- two weeks’ compassionate leave for partners whose baby is born prematurely
- two weeks’ paid leave for employees affected by pregnancy loss, including via a surrogate.
Paula Coughlan, chief communications, sustainability and people officer at Currys said: “We want to ensure that colleagues feel supported in times of need, and we are working hard to create a culture where everyone feels they belong. When you’re going through a challenging time, either personally or as a family, this support can help ease worries around potential loss of income or job security.
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“This is part and parcel of our ongoing commitment to wellbeing and our objective to have highly engaged colleagues and teams. We are committed to being a great place to work, creating a safe and inclusive space where people feel they belong and I am incredibly proud of the work we are doing.”
Sarah Burrows, co-chair of the Pride at Currys committee said: “As someone who has recent experience of the gender reassignment process, I was honoured to be involved in these new policies. I know first-hand the huge difference it will make.
“Financially, it’s significant – being able to take time off work without loss of income. It also gives crucial protection, and peace of mind knowing that your job is secure through what can be a long and difficult recovery.
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“From an inclusivity standpoint, it shows that working at Currys, people are supported and allowed to be who they want to be. I think it’s a really progressive policy, because it considers far more than just the financial support element. The guides for managers around wellbeing and support, as well as education are all so important in supporting a truly inclusive working environment.”
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