Curtin University among best workplaces for new dads

SHARKY Shah spends plenty of time with young people at work, but when his first child came along last year the Stirling man was extremely grateful for the time he spent at home bonding.

Mr Shah, a Curtin University student services team leader, took 14 weeks primary carers parental leave to be more involved with young Taaj.

“In my case, I wanted to be there actively, being part of his upbringing and childhood,” he said.

“Just immersing myself in his early stages of his life and being active a bit more as opposed to being that support person that most dads seemed to be relegated to.

“A lot of friends and colleagues in other corporate places only usually generally get a couple of weeks and the one thing they all mentioned was really missing out on that quality time.”

Curtin was the only major WA employer to crack a recent top 20 Best Workplaces for New Dads, a list compiled by HBF’s Direct Advice for Dads.

The university, which came in at No.10 on the list, offers 14 weeks paid primary carer’s leave with flexibility to take it in a single block, split over multiple periods or part-time.

It also offers two weeks secondary carer’s leave.

HBF’s health insurance rival Medibank ranked No.1.

Curtin University People and Culture director Ian Jackson said the university was prepared to break new ground with its staff.

“We hope our policies are very contemporary as sometimes universities can be seen as bureaucratic and we don’t want to fall in that category,” he said.

“There aren’t a lot of places where you’ll come out and see a young dad returning to work with their child at our child care centre and their grandad visiting for lunch.”

Top workplaces for secondary carer’s leave

1. Medibank Paid secondary carer’s leave: 14 weeks
2. Mirvac Paid secondary carer’s leave: 4 weeks
3. Australian Securities Exchange Paid secondary carer’s leave: 4 weeks
4. Commonwealth Bank Paid secondary carer’s leave: 4 weeks
5. PwC Paid secondary carer’s leave: 3 weeks
6. Australia National University Paid secondary carer’s leave: 3 weeks
7. British American Tobacco Paid secondary carer’s leave: 3 weeks
8. EY Paid secondary carer’s leave: 3 weeks
9. SAP Australia Paid secondary carer’s leave: 3 weeks
10. Curtin University Paid secondary carer’s leave: 3 weeks
11. Deloitte Australia Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
12. Lendlease Group Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
13. Imperial Tobacco Australia Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
14. CBUS Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
15. Stockland Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
16. Laing O’Rourke Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
17. American Express Australia Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
18. SEEK Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
19. Allianz Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks
20. NAB Paid secondary carer’s leave: 2 weeks