Ryan FowlerJLR has announced significant enhancements to its family-friendly policies, extending its 52 weeks of fully paid maternity leave to cover adoption and surrogacy arrangements. The luxury automotive manufacturer has offered this leading benefit for over 20 years and has now broadened its scope to support diverse paths to parenthood.
In addition to extending coverage, JLR has launched a new Neonatal Care Leave policy that provides an additional 12 weeks of paid leave for parents whose babies require neonatal care after birth. This brings the total potential leave to 64 weeks for eligible parents and has been implemented ahead of recent UK legislation, starting from 1st April 2025.
The company’s comprehensive approach also includes support for partners and co-parents, with four weeks of paid paternity leave available to those with secondary care rights, who can also access the additional neonatal care provisions. These policies aim to provide inclusive support regardless of family structure or path to parenthood.
Laura, a 34-year-old senior consultant at JLR in the West Midlands, has experienced the real-world impact of these policies firsthand. Expecting her second child, Laura reflects on how different this experience is compared to when her wife Amy had their first child, which resulted in the couple taking three months of unpaid leave and a mortgage payment break due to financial strain. Now, the couple can share the full 12 months of maternity leave, with Laura noting that she’ll be entitled to an early returner bonus after her wife takes three months of the leave, helping to avoid the financial challenges they previously faced.
JLR’s enhanced policies are designed to break down barriers related to gender and sexual orientation while creating a more inclusive working environment. The company also offers additional support through on-site wellbeing centres and nurseries to facilitate parents’ return to work, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to supporting employees through all stages of parenthood.
