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Here’s Your 2018 List of the Most Mom-Friendly Public Accounting Firms

Hey, ladies! If the grind of a career in public accounting is appealing to you and if you’re planning to have a family of five kids, two dogs, and a cat one day, then you should consider buying a Chevy Traverse—and peruse Working Mother’s 100 Best Companies list for 2018.

From a public accounting standpoint, this year’s list includes all the usual suspects, and Deloitte and EY even made Working Mother’s top 10 companies.

But whether these public accounting firms on Working Mother’s list are really the most pro-mom out there is up for debate. While the Accounting MOVE Project is focused more on the advancement of women in public accounting, the firms included in its annual “Best Public Accounting Firms for Women” list have women’s initiatives that address work/life conflicts. And according to Accounting MOVE Project’s latest report, 66% of MOVE firms offer telecommuting as a formal practice, 50% offer more generous paternity leave than is legally required, and several added unlimited PTO this year.

So, is RSM really a better firm for working moms than, say, CohnReznick? Maybe. Maybe not. Moss Adams was the only accounting firm that made both Working Mother’s and Accounting MOVE Project’s 2018 lists.

Here are the accounting firms that were included in Working Mother’s 100 Best Companies list for 2018 (in alphabetical order):

BDO USA

“The Parental Transition Coaching program guides employees and their managers at three touchpoints in working parents’ lives: before, just after returning from, and one to five years after a parental leave.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 9
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 2
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 85%

Deloitte

“Family leave provides 16 fully paid weeks to care for a new child, spouse, or aging parent. Birth mothers are eligible for up to six months’ paid leave.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 22
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 16
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 95%

EY

“Primary caregivers who have been with the professional-services firm for a year are eligible for up to 16 weeks of fully paid time off when welcoming a child through birth, adoption, surrogacy, foster care or legal guardianship. Each new dad receives an email encouraging him to take his leave.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 16
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 16
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 95%

Grant Thornton

“Since instituting a flexible time-off policy three years ago, this professional-services firm reports that employees take an average of 19 days off a year, compared with 17 days average under traditional vacation scheduling.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 12
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 2
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 95%

KPMG

“Employees may apply for four- to 12-week sabbaticals at 20 percent of their regular salary, and then return to their same salary and position.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 16
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 2
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 99%

Moss Adams

“The Forum W (Forum for Women) Advisory Board, consisting of partners across the firm, is developing a strategy to promote flexibility at all levels.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 9
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 2
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 90%

PwC

“Effective July 1, 2018, mothers and fathers receive eight weeks’ paid parental leave, up from six previously. Employees also receive four weeks’ paid time off to care for sick family members.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 15
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 6
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 95%

RSM

“In 2017, fully paid leave for birth mothers, fathers and adoptive parents increased from three to seven weeks.”

  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid maternity leave after one year of service: 11
  • Minimum number of weeks of fully paid paternity leave after one year of service: 7
  • Offers backup childcare, used occasionally when regular childcare isn’t available: Yes
  • Percentage of workforce telecommuting: 95%

If you’re a working mom who has worked at one of these firms, let us know your experiences—both good and bad—below in the comments.

Image: iStock/PeopleImages

One thought on “Here’s Your 2018 List of the Most Mom-Friendly Public Accounting Firms

  1. Smoke and mirrors. Like unlimited PTO. Sounds like a great benefit until your shamed out of taking advantage of the benefit.

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