News

Chipotle increases paid parental leave

Provided by Chipotle

March 5, 2020

Chipotle Mexican Grill has increased paid parental leave and is also testing unlimited paid time off for its executive team, support staff and team directors, according to a company press release. 

Birth moms, working as support staff or eligible field employees, may have 12 weeks paid time off, and new dads or workers adopting children qualify for four weeks. Chipotle will also cover costs for nursing mothers to use breast milk shipping services during work travel.

"Over the past year, we've positioned ourselves as a leader in curating an environment that maximizes the potential of our outstanding workforce," Marissa Andrada, chief people officer, said in the release. "We want to ensure our employees are able to share important moments with their family and have the necessary time away from work to recharge after a monumental life event."

Additionally, Chipotle's HUSTLE (Humans Uniting to Support the Ladies' Experience), an Employee Resource Group, will offer special "returnity" guides for corporate employees to help ease their transition back to the workplace. The guides highlight and offer advice for:

• How to connect with Chipotle's People Experience and Benefits teams. 
• How to voice returnity needs.
• Suggestions to discuss employees' transition plan.
• Internal and external resources that working parents can utilize and more.

Chipotle's unlimited PTO test for senior-level staff will give increased flexibility for these employees to juggle their many priorities at work as well as at home, according to the company, which said it will use its stage-gate process to decide if the program should cover additional employees.

These aren't the first tweaks Chipotle has made to enhance its employment package.

In 2019, the chain introduced a crew bonus program, allowing restaurant employees the opportunity to earn an extra month's worth of pay each year. To date, Chipotle has paid out over $2.75 million in crew bonuses with 10% of restaurants achieving a bonus in at least one-quarter last year.

Chipotle also announced its debt-free degree program in partnership with Guild Education, which allows all eligible employees, including crew members, to pursue a free college degree. Since launch, Chipotle has nearly doubled the number of active students in its Cultivate Education program, which includes tuition reimbursement and debt-free degree options.

This benefit was followed byhealth and financial wellness initiatives for more than 83,000 employees, which include access to personalized assistance from health care experts before, during and following medical needs through a partnership with Health Advocate. Mental health and emotional support have also been extended to all employees and their family members through in-person, phone or virtual visits with a licensed counselor to support personal, professional, mental, financial and legal concerns.