Cumulus adopts six weeks of maternity leave.

Story by Inside Radio

Under federal law every employee is allowed up to 12 weeks of unpaid family leave for the birth of a child. That’s what most radio groups offer according to an informal survey.

But Cumulus Media will today implement a new policy that sets the bar higher for radio groups. It will offer women up to six weeks of time off – fully paid – for the birth of a child. That’s in addition to the standard vacation time that parents-to-be use around the big day.

The company says the new policy is available to all full-time, non-commission employees with at least one year of service. “We are committed to providing benefits that recognize employees' health and family needs, and providing fully-paid leave to new mothers after they give birth is the right thing to do,” CEO Lew Dickey says in a statement. Employees are being notified of the new benefit today in an updated employee handbook.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 11% of all private sector workers have access to paid family leave. Among media companies, Disney (12 weeks) and Google (seven) are among the few that offer the benefit in addition to Cumulus.