Family

The decision to start a family is often accompanied by concerns about timing, finances, career, health and a long-term commitment to care for and support another human being.

PwC believes you can be a great parent and a great professional. Our programs, benefits and supportive culture are designed with that belief in mind.

• Planning for an addition to your family
  Consultants with our employee assistance program can provide a one-stop resource for information on a birth or adoption. This includes information about local doctors, financial professionals, adoption agencies and day care providers. The consultants are well equipped to answer questions about the family benefits and programs PwC offers to employees. At PwC we strive to be the kind of place where as parents you have the flexibility and resources you need to manage your responsibilities. So we put all those family related "resources" together in a booklet-The Prepared Parent. In addition to our benefits and programs, we included practical advice based on interviews with our partners and staff about how our PwC parents managed their transitions back to work after having a baby.
  
  
• Parental leave
  New moms (including adoptive mothers) now receive 12 weeks of fully paid time off to bond with their new baby. In addition, we offer an additional two weeks to mothers who give birth to multiples (twins or triplets). We are the only Big Four firm to offer that distinctive benefit and our three weeks of paternity leave remains best in class.
  
  
• Adoption leave and financial reimbursement
  Similar to primary care parents who have taken maternity disability leave for the birth of a new child, PwC provides up to six weeks paid time off after the adoption of a child (or eight weeks in the event of multiple children adopted on the same date). The program complements other benefit plans and programs offered by PwC, including the adoption assistance reimbursement program for financial assistance with up to $6000 of eligible adoption expenses and the parental leave benefit.

Coming back to work after a long leave is likely to take more than a brief period of adjustment. That's why our new Parental Leave benefit allows new parents (both men and women) to transition back to a part-time schedule for the first few weeks, if they feel it will help them. We also provide our professionals with childcare programs designed to take the stress out of returning to work. They include:

• Emergency backup childcare reimbursement program
  The Just-In-Case^TM program helps our staff plan ahead and get reimbursement for the cost of emergency backup care for children, older relatives, and dependent adults. The program is designed to assist staff in managing backup care needs so they don't have to miss time from work. Staff receive reimbursement for up to $1000 of backup care costs per year when their typical child care or elder care falls through.
  
  
• Mom's lactation program
  This award-winning program provides support for new mothers who wish to continue to breastfeed after returning to work. It is available to all women as well as PwC spouses and domestic partners. The program provides discounted breastfeeding equipment and supplies and relevant prenatal information and counseling.
  
  
• Full Circle program
  This unpaid, voluntary arrangement is designed for high-performing PwC professionals who are separating from the Firm to devote themselves to full-time parenting or care giving. The program allows participants-for a period of up to five years-to stay connected with their PwC colleagues, by providing them with a "coach" while they are gone. It also allows them to take advantage of the numerous available Firm resources, such as certain training and events.
  
  
• Dependent care flexible spending account
  A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account allows you to set aside pretax dollars to pay for dependent care for qualified family members. The account can be used for daycare, education or elder care.
  
  
• Backup childcare centers
  PwC has contracted with Emergency Childcare Backup Centers in some of their larger offices where you can take your child if your regular childcare service is not available that day.
  
  
• Mothers' rooms
  Most large offices have set aside rooms for nursing moms to pump to help facilitate their transition back to work.
  
  
• Family and individual sick days
  Not only can our staff use sick days for their own illness, they can also use unlimited sick days to care for their sick child, parent our spouse/domestic partner.
  
  
• Special Needs Caregivers Circle (SNCC)
  PwC’s new Special Needs Caregivers Circle is a national community of partners and staff who are responsible for the ongoing care of a special needs child or loved ones with disabilities. The SNCC helps members by providing networking and connectivity opportunities, sharing resources and best practices, and mentoring other members.
  
  
• Helping parents find the right nanny
  Our Premium Nanny Service assists all staff through the entire process of finding and hiring an in-home caregiver—free of charge. Through a one-on-one customized process, the program helps staff understand their in-home options, conduct a self search or work with an agency, define family requirements and needs, attract candidates by writing and placing ads, and interview candidates, whether recruiting their own or working with an agency. We also created a new Nanny Kit offered through LifeBalance OneSource, available free of charge to staff whether they sign up for the full Premium Nanny Service of not. The kit includes all relevant forms, checklists, and guides.