An applause for Flipkart’s parental instincts

MUMBAI, INDIA: For all the obscenities that the HR organization often has to deal with, we are writing about one HR that has a heart.

Flipkart has launched an adoption assistance program (AAP) enable and encourage its employees to adopt children.

The company is offering Rs 50,000 to couples who want to adopt a child. The money can be used to cover legal, agency or other costs involved in the adoption process.

Flipkart is also offering maternity benefits to women. These include 6 months of paid leave and 4 months of flexible working hours if the child adopted is below one year. And for children older than one, the female employees are entitled to 3 months of paid leave and 4 months of flexible working hours.

There are some benefits also included for the male employees. Men can also avail upto 6 weeks of paid adoption leave within the first six months, followed by 4 months of flexible working hours

Further, if the employee wants to take additional time off but does not have sufficient leave to their credit, they can take unpaid leave of up to 3 months with assured continuity on the same job on return.

This offering also includes support from a wellness coach on parenting, child care, emotional health, work-life balance, family health and more. These counselling and referral services will also be offered to those employees who are existing adoptive parents.

Hats off to Flipkart for spearheading this nobel cause. One only hopes that the philanthropy reaches the HR desks of all organizations.