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Employees at PAE Engineers Inc. can now take up to six weeks of leave at full pay if they gain a child through birth, adoption or foster placement. The 鈥渨ellness leave鈥� also will be available to employees dealing with a serious health condition or that of a loved one. State and federal laws require 12 weeks of unpaid leave.

鈥淚t made sense for us as a business,鈥� said Shiloh Butterworth, PAE’s director of employee experience. 鈥淧aid wellness leave gives our staff a better chance to endure a significant life event.鈥�

One of the major goals of the new program is to keep more women in the field. While women accounted for more than 20 percent of engineering school graduates over the past two decades, only 11 percent of practicing engineers are women, and only 9 percent of electronic and environmental engineers are women, according to a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

One of the chief industry concerns cited by women in the study is that taking leave would stunt their careers. PAE Engineers is hoping to address that concern by encouraging men to take the wellness leave.

鈥淚t is critically important for the men to take advantage of this,鈥� Butterworth said. 鈥淭hey needed to set the example. The first person to take this wellness leave was a man.鈥�

The policy helps deal with a generational change taking place within the industry, he added.

鈥淚t helps to change the culture,鈥� he said. 鈥淢any of our employees are Gen Xers and more than 50 percent are millennials. These generations think about things differently.鈥�

Despite the perceived benefits, the new policy still had to be sold to upper management.

鈥淚 was a bit skeptical (we) could 鈥� afford it,鈥� said Paul Schwer, PAE Engineers’ president. 鈥�(Butterworth) put together great research and a presentation. He made a compelling case. In the end, we felt the long-term benefit would outweigh the cost.鈥�

Schwer said the pitch that the new policy could help reduce employee stress and increase retention was compelling. The policy has helped generate more attention for PAE, he added.

鈥淚t’s been interesting how the buzz has been,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 benefit like this could be something to differentiate us.鈥�

Butterworth said that PAE expects 10 to 15 percent of its workforce to take advantage of the benefit in a given year.

鈥淲hen you analyze a plan like this you’re never going to have the evidence that says you’ve got to do it,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e felt it was worth us having the courage to do what is right for us.鈥�