Microsoft bumps up its parental leave benefits

The generous policy was quickly followed by Microsoft’s announcement of paid parental leave of 12 weeks in addition to the eight weeks of maternity leave.

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.

Netflix’s new rule is designed to cut through these bureaucratic entanglements and make it easier for new parents by simply continuing to pay employees their normal salary throughout the year after their child’s birth or adoption.

Non-birth parents are eligible for up to 12 weeks paid time off. They will be able to return to work part time or full time, and they may also return to work and then take additional time off, if needed. Only a third of U.S. companies that are three years old or younger have a parental leave policy, according to a 2014 study by display advertising startup PaperG.

“As we ask our employees to bring their “A” game to work every day to achieve our mission, we believe it’s our responsibility to create an environment where people can do their best work”, Hogan wrote.

Netflix’s continued success hinges on us competing for and keeping the most talented individuals in their field.

The sign outside Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif. Netflix on Tuesday announced it is letting new parents on its payroll to take up to a years paid leave.

Netflix’s new policy is in effect an extension of a time-off policy that dates to when the company went public in 2002. After it bumped its maternity leave from 12 weeks to 18 weeks, Google said new mothers were leaving the company at half the rate they did previously. For instance, the company already allows employees to take an unlimited amount of vacation each year, as long as they get their assignments done and fulfill other requirements of their jobs.

Another tricky situation McDermott noted is when an employee is away on parental leave or another form of leave and the company experiences a reduction in force. That leave is unpaid, and the FMLA only applies to companies with a workforce of 50 or more people. She said it would not be a significant cost for other employers to add several more weeks to their current paid leave.

In the blog post that announced the new policy, Chief Talent Officer Tawni Cranz explains that the move is meant to attract and retain top talent in Silicon Valley.