ASDA to offer "Nativity Leave"

Asda will offer ‘Nativity leave’ this year to allow staff to attend their children’s festive school play.

Following research from the supermarkets latest Mumdex report, working parents are worried about missing out on their child’s key milestones because of work commitments.

The research, which includes responses from 5,500 Asda mothers, reveals that one in three working mothers believe the annual Nativity play is one of the top things they cannot miss.

Hayley Tatum, Asda’s Executive People Director, says: “There’s no doubt working mums have a lot on their plate at this time of year and we don’t want our colleagues to miss out on the things that are really important to them this Christmas.

“Technology might help to take the pressure off busy working parents on a daily basis, but we know that it’s just not the same watching your child’s milestone moments back on a smartphone.

“‘Nativity Leave’ gives parents the opportunity to take time off for the school Christmas play or simply for some much needed family time outside of normal holidays.”

She added that this scheme would give Asda staff planned, unpaid discretionary time off to attend their child’s school play or to take off time outside normal contracted holidays.

Furthermore, the staff have two options: the ‘me time’ flexible working scheme, which offers unpaid, planned time off outside of holidays, or if they do not want to lose pay they can do a shift swap.

Asda said that ‘Nativity leave’ would not just apply to people with children  and would allow people to take time off to do their Christmas shopping, see friends, or for any other purpose, they do not need to give a specific reason.