Netflix will allow its employees to take “unlimited” parental leave in the first year of their child’s life, the steaming service has announced.
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“Each employee gets to figure out what’s best for them and their family, and then works with their managers for coverage during their absences”, Ms Cranz said.
Previously, Microsoft had offered the eight weeks disability for mothers, plus 12 weeks of parental leave with four weeks paid and eight unpaid. The new policy applies to all salaried employees, the company said.
However, more companies are thinking about offering at least some paid time off, which is mandated in nearly all other countries – but not in the US. Many tech companies offer generous benefits as they compete to attract talented engineers and other workers.
Microsoft is following Netflix’s lead with an updated maternity and paternity leave policy for employees.
“We’ve seen many employers expanding their amount of paid leave available, but it would be a small number of industries with a relatively small-to-medium size population that could afford to do something as extensive as Netflix“, said Tavarozzi.
Former Netflix chief talent officer Patty McCord wrote in the Harvard Business Review that the company’s time-off policy had the benefit of eliminating additional accounting and human-resources costs, while also having positives that come from a corporate culture that treats employees like responsible people.
CEO Reed Hastings drew attention for the company’s unlimited vacation policy, introduced in 2004; others in Silicon Valley, including Uber Technologies Inc. and Reddit Inc. offer the same.
But only a small percentage fit that criteria, and it is up to the employer to decide whether or not mom and dad get paid while gone.
“Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home”, Cranz says, adding that the unlimited paid leave for new parents will help employees become more “focused and dedicated”.
After it increased paid maternity leave to 18 weeks from 12 in 2007, fewer returning moms left the company, Google said.
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Regardless of what a company wants to give in terms of leave on its own accord, in-house counsel should be looking to the future and how the actual law around time off for new parents may change. This removes any confusion and employees can be happy that the company is supportive. Meanwhile, Apple offers four weeks off for expectant mothers before birth and 14 weeks after, while fathers receive six weeks off after birth.
