Before implementing apet-leave policy, employers should discuss any policy changecarefully with their in-house or outside counsel. (Photo:Shutterstock.com)

A growing number of employers—especially in the digitalsector—are introducing special benefits such as “fur-ternity leave”for employees with pets. But before joining the trend, companiesmight want to check first with their in-house lawyers.

Nina Hale Inc., a Minneapolis digital marketing firm with 85employees, announced on Aug. 20 that it was expanding its benefitsprogram to offer a week of work-from-home days to allow new petparents to spend time with their new companions and help the petsadjust to their surroundings.

“Part of embracing employee satisfaction as a business prioritymeans recognizing important life events that happen outside of theoffice,” said Nina Hale CEO Donna Robinson. “If wewant to continue to set the example as a top workplace, it iscrucial to offer innovative benefits that help to preserve thework-life happiness of our employee owners.”

Employees at mParticle, a data analytics company in New York,are offered what it calls “paw-ternity leave”— two weeks ofpaid time off for those who adopt a rescue dog or other pet. Thecompany also allows pets at work.

According to its website,“mParticle likes to keep things casual around the office bycreating a comfortable environment where everyone feels energized.With this in mind, the company welcomes furry friends at work, andon any given day, three or four dogs might be found playing aroundin different areas, greeting visitors with a warm wag of thetail.”

Whatever one calls it, company pet leave and other pet-relatedbenefits are an increasing trend, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.

But experts warn that before acting, employers should discussany policy change carefully with their in-house or outsidecounsel.

“It's something a company can do to attract, retain and supportits employees. But just think through all the issues,” suggestedEric Meyer, an employment attorney in the Philadelphia officeof FisherBroyles. Meyer also is president of the Pennsylvania BarAssociation Labor and Employment Law Section, and he publishesThe EmployerHandbook, an employment law blog for management.

For example, Meyer asked, should an employer grant paid orunpaid time off, and for which events—the adoption of a new pet,vet visits when it's sick, bereavement leave when it dies? And, heasked, should a company limit the type of pet covered to dogs andcats, or include other more unusual pets, such as snakes andalpacas?

“What I suggest for benefits such as bereavement leave is to gobroad,” the lawyer said. “I could love an ant as much as a dog.Don't put a judgment on the grief over the loss of a pet.”

But he did suggest setting a limit on the length of the leave. Alot of companies, he said, have adopted a “bucket leave” policy,which includes all paid time off. The employee can then use thetime for any purpose he or she chooses, including for a pet.

Or an employer may prefer allowing unpaid time off for pet care,similar to family leave, Meyer said.

As for bringing pets to work, he explained, there are two bigissues: liability and pet allergies. For liability issues, herecommended the employer check with its insurance broker.

For medical issues, such as allergies or animal phobias, headvised the employer to encourage affected employees to talk withthe human resources department.

“The employer may need to provide an accommodation, such asworking remotely, or cancel the event altogether if there is acritical mass of sniffling workers,” Meyer said.

Meyer, though, is on the side of the pet owners. He said heoften works from home with his dog, Yao Ming, a smallschnauzer-poodle mix named for the former 7' 6” center for theHouston Rockets, by his feet.