Minnesota company offers 'fur-ternity leave' for workers with new pets

MINNEAPOLIS -- Fur-ternity leave is the latest work perk for employees at a marketing company in Minnesota.

People who are adding a fur baby to their family are getting a benefit similar to maternity and paternity leave at Nina Hale, a digital marketing firm in Minneapolis.

"Families come in all different shapes and sizes - as do new babies in a household," Allison McMenimen, EVP of client services at Nina Hale told Twin Cities Business. "We want to celebrate our diverse workforce by making sure there are policies that enable everyone to support their definition of family."

Twin Cities Business reports the new policy came about after Connor McCarthy, a senior account manager, wanted flexibility with his schedule after bringing home a Goldendoodle puppy.

"Figuring out who could be there to watch and bond with him in the beginning would have been difficult," McCarthy told Twin Cities Business. "But the agency's flexibility in allowing me to work remotely that first week was truly amazing."

The new fur-ternity policy lets people with a new pet work from home for one week and does not apply to pets that live in a cage or tank.

"At the end of the day, it's all about balancing employee happiness, health and wellness and the best possible work for our clients," McMenimen told Twin Cities Business. "We know the agency's output is connected to health and happiness of our staff - so it's our job to manage both."