Parental paid time off for U.S. employees

The Company offers eight weeks of paid time off for employees after the birth or adoption of a child. For birth mothers who typically receive six weeks to eight weeks of recovery time, this doubles their paid leave.

This program allows more time for mothers, fathers and adoptive parents to bond with their new child when it most matters.

For ExxonMobil employees and married couple Michael Lawson and Meghan Janzen who were expecting their first child, the program was, “a huge relief.”

“It was such an exciting but daunting time, being a first-time mom, not knowing what to expect and how I was going to cope. Having my husband at home with me through all of that when our son arrived made such a huge difference as I navigated motherhood,” Meghan, a senior geoscientist, said.

“Having the paid time off helped me to be more flexible when I returned to work and our son went to daycare. It meant I was able to have some extra time at home as he got used to daycare, which reduced the worry.”

Michael, an associate geologist, said his supervisor was very supportive as they worked to find ways to maximize the time he had off to be with his family.

“With this program, I had more time to spend with the baby and bond with him, and I didn't need to use my vacation time to do that,” he said. “And when Meghan went back to the office I was able to be at home to help take the burden off. It was a real game changer for us.”

Public and Government Affairs Advisor Amber Gardner echoes these sentiments. Amber, whose husband Drew also works for ExxonMobil, was expecting her second child. “My husband also had more time with the baby. For us, it’s especially important in those early weeks and months to be with our children. It’s so exciting to see the company taking this step to make life easier for parents.”

The program complements the suite of workplace flexibility programs the company offers to employees to help them balance work and life.

“When parents have the support of the company they can feel confident in returning to work. That’s great for parents and great for our business as it helps us to retain our talented workforce.”

The eight weeks can be taken continuously or in one-week increments and must be used within 12 months from the birth or adoption date. The program applies to regular, non-represented U.S. employees.