Neiman Marcus Offering Extended Paid Parental and Family Leave Programs

Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) on Friday announced its new paid family leave benefits for all associates, working full or part time, according to a company press release. NMG said that as of January, the retailer has offered 16 weeks of paid leave for anyone welcoming a child, including via adoption, surrogacy or foster care. This time is in addition to the allotted maternity leave time for birthing mothers, elevating the total amount of paid company leave to up to 24 weeks. All associates, full- and part-time, are eligible for this new benefit. In addition, all associates will also be eligible for the company's new Paid Family Leave program which will provide two weeks of paid leave for situations requiring an associate to take time off to care for a child, spouse, partner, parent or other family members, as defined by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), effective Aug. 1, 2022.

Furthermore, employees who have worked at NMG for at least a year will be able to use $3,000 toward an adoption to ease costs like placement, legal or medical expenses. The funds can be used towards agency and placement fees, legal expenses, medical expenses, and multiple other related costs.

Total Retail's Take: It's not surprising that NMG and other retail organizations have begun offering additional benefits to their employees in an effort to retain their talent. After all, during the "Great Resignation" companies are doing everything they can to keep their best employees. Over the past year or so, we've heard about retail employers offering everything from flexible work-from-home policies to free tuition. What makes NMG's offering unique, however, is the fact that these new generous benefits can be used by both full- and part-time employees. Indeed, NMG continues “to promote work and life integration ... Our aim is to empower and prioritize our associates by offering them flexible, innovative policies to make their lives extraordinary.”