These Were Some of the Huge Shifts in Parental-Leave Policies in 2015
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The decision to start a family is complicated enough without having to factor in that a newborn may mean losing out on a paycheck. In the past year, companies around the world have expanded their parental-leave policies to make sure that their employees don't have to make that kind of choice. More and more, company- and city-leave policies are shifting to include both moms and dads — or adoptive and foster parents — and in many cases, it's all paid time off.
Read through for six of the most notable changes in parental-leave policies in 2015.
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Nestlé
You wouldn't expect one of the world's leading baby-formula manufacturers to say it's instituting a generous worldwide maternity-leave policy because it wants to encourage new mothers to breastfeed. But that's just what Nestlé did this past June. The company announced a progressive maternity-leave policy for female employees that includes 14 weeks paid leave and the right to extend that leave up to six months, a guaranteed job back, access to breastfeeding rooms during working hours, and flexible work arrangements.
Virgin Group
Richard Branson announced in June that he's going to be paying new dads in Europe to stay home. The new policy allows both men and women to take up to a year of paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child. However, the policy applies only to employees of Virgin Management in the United Kingdom and Geneva for now.
Netflix
In August, Netflix announced that it is instituting an unlimited leave policy for new moms and dads for the first year after the birth or adoption of a child. Not only that, but they will receive their normal pay the entire time. Plus, they'll be able to return to work part-time or full-time, and they may also come back and then take additional time off, if needed. This is all on top of the unlimited vacation days all employees get.
Microsoft
Microsoft announced that it was expanding its parental-leave policies in August to give new moms and dads a bit more time at home before returning to the office. The new policy went into effect on Nov. 1, expanding the existing policy to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave on top of an additional eight weeks for moms, meaning 20 weeks of paid maternity leave in total. The 12 weeks of parental leave can be taken either all at once or in pieces, and employees are allowed to ease themselves back into work on a half-time basis.
Amazon
Amazon announced in November that it was changing its leave policies to allow new mothers four weeks of medical leave before delivering their baby, followed by 10 weeks of paid leave. An added perk — for employees that have been with the company for over a year — includes an additional six weeks paid parental leave for moms or dads.
New York City
This month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that all nonunion employees will get six weeks of paid parental leave starting Jan. 1, 2016. The policy will allow employees — moms, dads, adoptive parents, and foster parents — to receive their paycheck in full and to combine this time off with any sick days or vacation days that they have available for a leave of up to 12 weeks.