Extended Family Leave Allows Employees to Savor Special Moments

Voiceover: Keeping up with Eleni Meleschi is a full-time job. Add her three month-old brother Jacob to the mix, and the Meleschi home outputs the kind of energy seen in Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan™ engines.

Aimee Meleschi: It's busy.

Public Service Announcement: Well, who's going to help me do the dishes tonight?

Voiceover: The model of the family has certainly changed from the 1940s …

Public Service Announcement: That's right.

Voiceover: … and traditional parenting roles are commonly shared by both spouses. One that is embraced by many employers like United Technologies and its subsidiary companies. It's the reason why UTC now provides extended parental leave, so employees can focus on strengthening that family bond.

Shangari Meleschi: I was really overjoyed when I saw that policy because it meant I could take the time without using any vacation time which I knew I was going to have to use later in the year just for going to the doctor and taking care of the normal things that come with having a newborn in the household.

Voiceover: Shangari Meleschi, a senior director for Supply Management at Pratt & Whitney, learned about the new extended four-week parental leave time on Pratt & Whitney's internal website. With the joyous arrival of Jacob, Shangari and his wife Aimee believe that the extra time they spent together was crucial for creating a cohesive family unit.

Shangari Meleschi: I think we get the best out of all our people, including myself, when we feel comfortable that home and that our family is taken care of. So it does pay dividends in the workplace.

Voiceover: Shangari says he never felt pressured to be back at work, and Aimee says his phone was mostly silent.

Voiceover: Silence is something rare at the Meleschi household – but the love a family provides rarely is.

Aimee Meleschi: To be home is one thing, but to be home and be present with your family is something totally different.

Shangari Meleschi: The great part about Pratt is it reminds me of a small family business in terms of culture and the warmness of people. In that regard, I think people are very understanding and they actually expected of me to spend time with my family upon the birth of my child.

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United Technologies' new paid, parental leave policy gives new parents the time they need to bond with their children. The policy is part of UTC's benefit programs that are intended to support a happier, healthier and more productive life at home and at work.