April 10, 2020 Joseph Jamrog - Researcher, i4cp

Microsoft is Giving Workers 12 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave Due to School Disruptions

Microsoft is giving its workers an additional three months of paid parental leave to deal with extended school closures due to the COVID19 pandemic.

Parents who work for Microsoft can choose how and when to use the leave — whether it's a three-month stretch or a few days a week — a company spokesperson told CNN Business. The company is calling the program "12-Week Paid Pandemic School and Childcare Closure Leave."

Microsoft's move is one of several measures tech companies are taking to adapt to lockdowns, as most of their employees transition to working remotely due to the global pandemic. Facebook announced last month that it would give $1,000 to each of its 45,000 employees, and will continue to pay its hourly and contract workers in full despite reduced workloads. Google and Twitter have also said they will continue to pay contractors.