Best Maternity Benefits offered by Companies Globally

It is no secret that the United States, along with Papua New Guinea, is one of the very few countries across the world that does not have the amenity of paid maternity leave for employees as a mandatory liability on the employer. While the basic rights offered by the Family and Medical Leave Act stipulate that workers who fulfill certain conditions are entitled to claim leave, a large number of workers are left stranded. The criteria to be fulfilled in order to claim paid maternity leave are extensive in themselves. Firstly, the workplace that the person is employed at must have 50 or more employees. Further, the employee is required to have been working in the organisation for the past year. Finally, the benefits received are less than generous, as employees receive only 12 weeks of leave, which is unpaid.

Thus, the legally mandated maternity benefits laid down by the legislation in the USA is nowhere close to what ought to be followed. However, this has not stopped many companies from providing maternity benefits and other amenities to their employees above and beyond what is required by the law.

Netflix

The current gold standard when it comes to providing maternity benefits above and beyond what the law requires of companies, is undoubtedly Netflix. As per their new policy, from August 2015, they have offered their salaried employees the option to take as much paid parental leave as they required during the first year following their child’s birth. This rule was also gender neutral and was available to fathers and mothers both.

Microsoft

One of the giants of the tech industry, Microsoft does not take maternity benefits to its employees lightly. The current policy that is in place in Microsoft allows paid leave for birth mothers for a period of up to 20 weeks, while non-birth mothers are allowed a period of up to 12 weeks.

Amazon

E-retail website Amazon also has a very generous maternity leave policy. Under their rules, maternity leave extends for a period of 14 weeks, with a further period of six weeks allowed for either parent following this.

Adobe

Trying to keep pace with the other companies, Adobe offers paid parental leave to its employees for a period of 26 weeks. In addition to this, primary caregivers are also allowed paid leave for a period of 16 weeks. The latter covers those who become parents through surrogacy, adoption etc.

Apple

The maternity benefits offered by Apple are in no way less than those offered by the others. Expectant mothers have the right to take up to four weeks of leave before the birth of the children, as well as up to 14 weeks after. Apart from this, fathers and non-birth parents are also given the choice to take paid leave for a period of six weeks.

Change.org

According to the policy in place at Change.org regarding maternity benefits, the organisation offers a period of 18 weeks which is paid time off. The same duration is permitted for maternity, paternity and adoption leave.

Facebook

The Facebook policy regarding maternity benefits allows employees 16 weeks of paid leave. This leave is gender neutral, as well as applicable for adopting parents. In addition to this, Facebook also gives employees $4,000 in baby cash, has designated breast feeding rooms and provides egg freezing services.

Google

Google gives birth mothers a period of 18 weeks of paid maternity leave. In case a mother experiences complications during childbirth, this period is extended by a further four weeks. The primary caregiver is given paid baby bonding leave for a period of 12 weeks, while the non-primary care giver gets up to seven weeks.

Pinterest

Pinterest grants new mothers paid leave for up to 12 weeks. Apart from this, fathers are also entitled to parental leave as they can avail of four weeks of leave.

Reddit

While Reddit may not be considered as one of the most progressive places to work, their parental leave policy certainly does not let one believe so. Reddit employees are granted paid parental leave for a period of 17 weeks, which remains the same, regardless of the gender of the employee or the birthing means.

Twitter

Twitter offers a generous amount of maternity leave, with 20 weeks of paid leave being allowed to mothers, while fathers and other non-birth parents are entitled to 10 weeks of the same.

Yahoo

Courtesy Marissa Mayer’s new paid leave policy, stipulates a period of 16 weeks of paid maternity leave policy. Apart from this, fathers and non-birth parents also receive 8 weeks of leave. In addition to this, families also receive $500 for baby costs that they may incur.

American Express

According to their new parental leave policy, American Express currently offers new parents, regardless of them being birth parents, adoptive parents or surrogate parents, up to five months of fully paid leave. The benefits extend to part time and full time employees.

Non-Tech Companies

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation offers employees a period of 52 weeks of maternity and paternity leave which is full paid.

Bloomberg

Bloomberg offers employees 18 weeks of fully paid leave in case of the primary caregiver, as well as 4 weeks for the non-primary caregiver.

Arnold & Porter LLP

The primary caretaker, including cases of adoption, receives 18 weeks of paid leave, while the secondary caretaker receives 6 weeks of parental leave.

Johnson & Johnson

Maternity leave is granted for a period of 15 weeks, which is extended to 17 weeks in the event of the mother having to undergo a C-section. Paternity leave and adoption leave are also granted for a period of 8 weeks.

Bank of America

Maternity leave, paternity leave and adoption leave is granted for the same duration, which is 12 weeks. The leave granted is also fully paid.

Patagonia

Maternity leave, paternity leave and adoption leave is granted for the same duration, which is 8 weeks. The leave granted is also fully paid.

Goldman Sachs

Maternity leave is offered for a period of 16 weeks, which is fully paid. Paternity leave is granted for a period of 4 weeks.

Etsy

Etsy recently announced that it would be giving parents up to six months of parental leave, which would be fully paid. In addition to this, the company also offers new adoption as well as surrogacy benefits.

Starbucks

Starbucks has amended their policy from focusing only on new mothers, to now offering parental leave to father, same-sex couples and adopting parents. The new policy offers new parents up to 12 weeks of paid leave at their full annual salary.

Ikea

Ikea’s adoption benefits have been expanded, to now cover a period of four months for parents who have a new born in their lives, as well as applying to fathers, mothers, adoptive or foster parents. Both salaried and hourly parents can claim this leave.

Spotify

Spotify currently offers full time mothers and fathers around the world, a period of six months of paid leave as per their parental leave policy.

Conclusion

Despite the law not requiring companies to offer extensive parental leave policies, this has not discouraged many companies from recognising their employees’ needs and providing them with the requisite amenities. Parental leave is a basic human necessity and is vital for parents to be able to raise and foster their child in his/her formative years. By going the extra mile and a half, these companies show their employees that they are seen as more than just the work they do, and their needs are recognised. This also improves employee loyalty towards the organisation as they feel a part of the organisation. Thus, it is extremely important for organisations to recognise that their employees require parental leave and provide them with the same, regardless of whether or not the law mandates them to do so.