People
Issue No. 24 - August/September 2005
Dads take ‘bonding’ day, work thrives
Savings & Loans Credit Union prides itself on family friendly policies to help staff achieve work-life balance, its success reflected by industry awards.
Two senior managers have taken advantage of these initiatives — Michael Mezzino and Sam Molloy. Sam knows exactly how effective they are having children born ‘either side’ of the policy being included in the enterprise agreement.
'Bonding Leave' is three weeks granted to the ‘non-primary caregiver’ to allow time to bond with a new baby, and is in addition to annual leave. It may be taken in one lump, as Sam did, or as a couple of days a week for many weeks.
“It amounts to six weeks’ annual leave in a year and it took some time to work up the courage to ask for it,” Sam says, but the dividend in minimised disruption has certainly paid off.
Another initiative both men have used is to work from home one day a week, allowing more time to support their partner and new baby...



