Online-streaming giant Netflix just offered its new moms and dads an incredible perk: “Unlimited” maternity and paternity leave in the first year after a child’s birth or adoption.
In a blog post Tuesday, chief talent officer Tawni Cranz said employees would be paid normally, without “the headache of switching to state or disability pay” and could return part time or full time whenever they wished.
“We want employees to have the flexibility and confidence to balance the needs of their growing families without worrying about work or finances,” Cranz wrote. “Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home.”
Silicon Valley is known for offering generous leave policies, but Netflix’s rule sets a strong precedent.
A day after the Netflix announcement, Microsoft Corp. said it will increase total paid leave for new mothers to 20 weeks, from a current 12 weeks paid and eight weeks of unpaid leave. New fathers will get 12 paid weeks instead of four paid and eight unpaid.
