Thrive PR's impressive parental leave scheme

New parents are given a flexible return to work time as their jobs are left open at Thrive PR. Photo / iStock

Employees of an Australasian PR company are being offered an impressive parental leave scheme in a bid to get more parents returning to work.

Thrive PR, who have offices in Australia and New Zealand, are the latest to put parents first, introducing two months paid parental leave and a $150-a-day bonus to cover childcare costs.

In a statement, Thrive PR said they also introduced special parking closer to work for women in their third trimester of pregnancy.

The company's founder Leilani Abels said Thrive recognised the importance of working parents.

"We are doing everything possible from a culture and financial perspective to get more women returning to rewarding careers at Thrive and to help them transition back into the workplace," she said.

In addition to their three new policies, that includes two months paid parental leave at full pay on top of the Government's 18 week paid parental leave scheme, they offer flexibility for new parents.

The company allows additional time out of the office for parents on IVF programs and new parents are given a flexible return to work time as their jobs are left open.

Parents with school-aged kids are also able to juggle school commitments with work, and children are casually accommodated in the office if no childcare is available.

But Ms Abels, who herself has a one-year-old son, said their parental bonus scheme saw the company slugged with tax implications and complexities.

Thrive's parenting policies currently incur FBT (fringe benefits tax) and there are no rebates when a business pays for childcare,' she said.

"It is a costly exercise, and when you are not a major corporation, it is a significant investment.

"There are no government incentives for a business to support parents and in fact, we are penalised and taxed.

"The current system discourages businesses to invest in working parents - in women who are important to our economy and Australia's future - and that needs to change."