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Swiggy launches ‘Paw-ternity' policy for pet owners on National Pet Day: ‘parenthood comes in various forms’

Swiggy’s new ‘Paw-ternity policy is designed to provide "comprehensive support" to employees who are pet parents”.

Updated on: Apr 11, 2024, 16:04:07 IST
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National Pet Day: To celebrate the day of the bond between pets and their humans, Swiggy changed their existing policy involving parenthood to include pet parents. The company introduced a ‘Paw-ternity’ policy to “support employees on pet care and adoption”.

National Pet Day: In their new ‘Paw-ternity’ policy, Swiggy expanded their definition of parenthood to include pet parents. (X/@alvannee)
National Pet Day: In their new ‘Paw-ternity’ policy, Swiggy expanded their definition of parenthood to include pet parents. (X/@alvannee)

Girish Menon, Chief Human Resource Officer, Swiggy, announced in a press release that this new policy is designed to provide comprehensive support to employees who have pets, recognising and honouring their role in “caring for their beloved companions”.

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“Building on our gender-neutral parental policy introduced in 2020, which provides substantial paid leave for primary and secondary caregivers, in addition to bonding leaves, and time off for adoption, surrogacy, miscarriage and IVF, we are now expanding our definition of parenthood to include pet parents as well. And that’s why, starting today, we’re announcing the Swiggy Paw-ternity Policy for all full-time employees,” Swiggy announced in the press release.

What are the benefits for the employees under the ‘paw-ternity’ policy?

The employees will be eligible to receive benefits under three circumstances. The first is an additional paid day off when they get or adopt a new pet. Additionally, they may opt for the work-from-home option for a few days to “provide comfort and support to their new family member.”

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The full-time employees can use their “casual or sick leave without hesitation to attend to the needs of their pets.” In case of the passing away of a pet, an employee can apply for a bereavement leave.

“We recognize the indispensable place pets hold in the lives of our employees and are dedicated to supporting them in every aspect of their journey with Swiggy’s pet care policy,” the company added.

  • Trisha Sengupta
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    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More