Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program • Hacker News Board

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#11

Post by greggyb » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:40 PM UTC

Retric wrote: post #7

omarforgotpwd wrote: post #2

"With this in mind, today we’re introducing an unlimited leave policy for new moms and dads that allows them to take off as much time as they want during the first year after a child’s birth or adoption" Ah, unlimited for a year. So no taking 30 years off after your child is born then.

Mind you, Netflix has an unlimited time off policy, but today’s policy update is a clear reminder that the company wants the best talent. I suspect many of these simply end up as less formal polices. However, there are large benefits to allowing for extended leave which few Americans actually use. It’s bad enough that some companies require people to take at least 2 weeks off every year.

My company has a policy requiring that individuals take at least one contiguous week of time off a year.

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#12

Post by cldellow » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:41 PM UTC

Doesn't Netflix already offer unlimited vacation? Parental leave isn't vacation, of course, but the cynic in me thinks this is another example of a case where a corporation can benevolently offer the moon while replying on peer pressure to ensure that no employee accepts what is on offer to anywhere near its fullest extent.

Does Netflix publish any stats about vacation usage?

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#13

Post by SweetPotato » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:42 PM UTC

This is a step in right direction.

"The United States remains the only member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, that does not guarantee mothers any paid time off from work after the birth of a new child. (see Figure 1) In fact, the United States is one of only four countries in the world—along with Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Papua New Guinea—where workers do not have the right to paid maternity leave." http://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/I...

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#14

Post by ryoshu » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:43 PM UTC

ejcx wrote: post #3

That seems great. Is there any protection from abuse? It seems that one could say "See you next year" with this and get a year-long vacation. Is that accurate. Would that actually work? Is there any contract saying you won't take your year off and quit on your last day? OR is this all hinging on you getting a continued workload complete, and not just a year vacation.

Having a newborn is not a year long vacation. While it's possible that some employees could abuse a year of maternity/paternity leave by quitting after the one year term, I imagine this move will greatly increase company loyalty amongst new, potential and existing parents.

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#15

Post by SweetPotato » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:46 PM UTC

just to reinforce the point: "United States is one of only four countries in the world—along with Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Papua New Guinea—where workers do not have the right to paid maternity leave." How is this possible great USA?

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#16

Post by ghughes » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:48 PM UTC

I'm highly suspicious of "unlimited" vacation or leave policies because the line between reasonable and not is still there, it's just way less visible and ultimately arbitrary, depending on your management chain and workload. I can't wait for this fad to die. Let's just have generous, well-defined leave policies that don't put the onus on the employee to figure out what is OK and what isn't.

"Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home." People also perform better at work when they're not worrying about repercussions for being seen to abuse their "unlimited" leave.

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#17

Post by icebraining » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:49 PM UTC

Osmium wrote: post #4

Congratulations Netflix. I'm personally a big believer that equal maternity and paternity leave is crucial for future equality in the workforce, and Netflix have just set a great example to the rest of the industry. And a full year is excellent too. Hopefully other employers will take notice, or even better it becomes a legal requirement. Why it isn't already in some countries[1] continues to mystify–to my mind, a bu…

Saying "the US" is usually not helpful here, since many of these issues are simply not legislated at the national/federal level. Some states do have paid leave: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maternity_leave_in_the_United_...

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#18

Post by giaour » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:50 PM UTC

cldellow wrote: post #12

Doesn't Netflix already offer unlimited vacation? Parental leave isn't vacation, of course, but the cynic in me thinks this is another example of a case where a corporation can benevolently offer the moon while replying on peer pressure to ensure that no employee accepts what is on offer to anywhere near its fullest extent. Does Netflix publish any stats about vacation usage?

Isn't part of their unlimited vacation perk a promise not to track how much vacation you use?

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#19

Post by dragonwriter » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:50 PM UTC

hughes wrote: post #5

I'm glad to see paternity leave included and given equal weight to maternity. So many employers don't offer this important benefit.

> I'm glad to see paternity leave included and given equal weight to maternity. So many employers don't offer this important benefit.

Really? What employer doesn't offer family leave on equal terms? Certainly, this used to be quite common, but every place I've seen for many years has explicitly been equal.

Re: Netflix Announces Its New ‘Unlimited’ Maternity and Paternity Leave Program

#20

Post by e40 » Tue, Aug 04, 2015, 10:51 PM UTC

cldellow wrote: post #12

Doesn't Netflix already offer unlimited vacation? Parental leave isn't vacation, of course, but the cynic in me thinks this is another example of a case where a corporation can benevolently offer the moon while replying on peer pressure to ensure that no employee accepts what is on offer to anywhere near its fullest extent. Does Netflix publish any stats about vacation usage?

Does Netflix publish any stats about vacation usage?

I would love to see stats. I doubt they'll publish them. If people use less vacation than they used to (before the policy went into effect), then they would take a negative PR hit for it. If they used more than before, then it might encourage other employees to do the same.