Chobani Announces Paid Family Leave For All Employees

Family leave is a hot topic in this country right now. In fact, America is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee paid family leave to its employees. According to Pew Research Center, in almost half of two-parent households, both parents work full-time.

So what are parents to do when they have a new baby? How are these families supposed to cope with their hectic work schedules and the needs of their new infant? The stress can be overwhelming, especially for new moms who are also dealing with physical recovery following labor and delivery, as well as trying to juggle breastfeeding, pumping and lack of sleep throughout the night. Add in postpartum depression or anxiety (which 10-15 percent of women suffer from), and you have a recipe for a very tired, overwrought employee (not to mention, parent!).

Luckily, some companies are starting to change this. Chobani recently announced that they will now offer six weeks of fully paid family leave to ALL employees. This means hourly workers as well—not just salaried workers. And it includes moms AND dads, as well as adoptive parents. Chobani has joined the ranks of other forward-thinking employers like Netflix who are also offering employees paid family leave.

For example, Netflix recently announced that they will offer one year paid leave to their employees after they have a child (mothers and fathers alike). Microsoft now offers 12 weeks of paid leave to employees, and Adobe is now giving mothers 26 weeks of paid time off (and fathers 14 weeks of paid leave).

It is wonderful to see so many companies making steps to provide for new parents. Employees perform better when they are better rested and when they are able to enjoy time with their family, especially when a new baby is in the picture. So this will definitely be a win-win for all involved. Kudos, Chobani!