Taking parental leave has historically been met with an array of disadvantages.
In the legal profession, taking time off after having a baby has been described as the ‘kiss of death’, because success and promotions are often determined by ‘billable hours’ – a business model that inherently gives the upper hand to those who don’t take time off for child-rearing.
For a long time, frequent flyer points schemes have actually worked in a similar way.
Your frequent flyer status is determined by the number of credits you’ve earned from flying. But – and for parents, this is a big but – you have to earn a certain number of credits every year to maintain your status.
This is a problem for mums or dads who take time out to raise a child, and aren't flying as frequently as they used to. Taking parental leave would then result in a drop in frequent flyer status.
But from today, this might not be the case if you're a Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Such initiatives include Qantas 'Joey Club' (a frequent flyer club for kids under 10), and their inclusion of Family Zones in Qantas Lounges.
We hope not only that other airlines follow suit, but that this move will encourage more businesses to consider how their policies and practices might inadvertently disadvantage parents.
Full details on eligibility and how to apply for Parental Pause can be found here.