- Caregiver Leave Benefit to offer financially protected 10-day minimum leave to employees globally
- Primarily aimed to support the care of critically and terminally ill immediate family members
- Program to be introduced starting in 2025 on a market-by-market basis
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, today announced the introduction of a Caregiver Leave Benefit as an additional family-friendly offering for employees of the company and its affiliates. The new global benefit includes a minimum of ten days of financially protected leave.1 This initiative builds on the recent rollout of the global Fertility Benefit at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and its affiliates, and advances the company's journey to provide an inclusive suite of benefits that support employees' holistic well-being.
"At our company, we recognize the vital role that caregivers play and understand what is required of those who take this on, alongside the day-to-day care of their families and work responsibilities. We can't always anticipate when a loved one needs extraordinary care. Any of us could find ourselves in such a situation at a moment's notice, and we want to take at least one worry off our employees by giving them the opportunity to focus on their family during this challenging time. Our employees who become caregivers live our values, exhibiting courage, respect, and a strong sense of duty. It is critical, and part of our commitment as an employer, to ensure that employees are supported, together, with the loved ones they care for," said Belén Garijo, Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
"Our new Caregiver Leave Benefit is one more example of how we, at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and its affiliates, look holistically at our benefits offering to ensure the health and well-being of our employees no matter what stage they are in life," said Khadija Ben Hammada, Chief Human Resources Officer at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. "I am proud that we are further expanding our range of benefits. This way, we can give employees more time, space, and financial support for moments that matter."
The Caregiver Leave Benefit is intended for use by those caring for immediate family members who are critically or terminally ill. This includes but is not limited to parents, children, and partners. The new benefit is expected to be rolled out globally over the next twelve months on a market-by-market basis, designed locally to include and integrate with any existing leave benefits or regulatory requirements that support employees in their individual situation.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has a longstanding commitment to supporting caregivers and a close connection to this community through its Healthcare business. The 2017 launch of "Embracing Carers" for caregivers around the world opened an avenue to enhance support and resources, including training and upskilling to benefit caregivers and their loved ones. The award-winning global initiative, led by the Healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in collaboration with leading carer organizations around the world, seeks to increase awareness, discussion, and action about the often-overlooked needs of carers. The introduction of the global Caregiver Leave Benefit for the employees of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and its affiliates further reinforces the company's unwavering dedication to addressing the unmet needs of carers, placing a greater focus on improving carer health and wellness, and increasing awareness and support for them within healthcare systems around the globe.
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About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. Around 63,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices the company is everywhere. In 2023, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of 21 billion in 65 countries.
The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.
About Embracing Carers
Embracing Carers is a global initiative founded by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates its businesses in the U.S. as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Electronics, in collaboration with leading carer organizations around the world, designed to increase awareness, discussion, and action about the often-overlooked needs of carers. Given that carers need support and often do not know where to turn for help, Embracing Carerswas created to fill that void. www.embracingcarers.com
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1 The local implementation of the Caregiver Leave Benefit will vary and will be carried out in accordance with the applicable, individual market regulations and legal requirements.
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