Microsoft India doubles maternity leave to 6 months

NEW DELHI: Microsoft India has doubled maternity leave for its women employees to six months from February 1. This is in addition to the option of unpaid leave for up to three months and flexible work hours for up to two years.

The revamped policy will also be extended to employees who are already on maternity leave, the company said on Thursday.

Further, all male employees at Microsoft are eligible for two weeks of paternity leave. Additionally, to care for adopted children, mothers are eligible for eight calendar weeks of paid leave and fathers are eligible for two weeks of paid leave.

“At Microsoft, our continual endeavor is to support our employees in the best possible ways so they can thrive both at the workplace and in their personal lives,” said Rohit Thakur, HR head at Microsoft India. “We understand how important it is for new mothers to not only be able to spend time with their babies, but also be able to transition back to work effectively. The enhancements to our maternity benefits are intended to ensure our women employees have the time and support they need to embrace this new phase of life.”