STATEMENT ON NETFLIX'S NEW BABY BENEFITS
TECH GIANT ANNOUNCES UNLIMITED MATERNITY AND PATERNITY LEAVE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Netflix Inc. today announced a new policy for expectant parents; an unlimited leave benefit allowing moms and dads to take as much time as needed within the first year of their new child's life. Independent Women’s Forum, the leading women’s group pushing back on government workplace mandates, released the following statement in response to Netflix's paternal leave policy.  

Independent Women's Forum Executive Director Sabrina Schaeffer said:

“Netflix’s new maternity and paternity policy demonstrates just how rapidly the workplace is changing to accommodate employees’ lives outside of the office — and modern technology has certainly made this possible in a way it wouldn’t have been even a decade ago.

“Some assume such a generous workplace benefit would have serious complications. But research shows that most employees only use half the vacation time with which they’re provided. Male and female workers are eager to move up the corporate ladder, which often serves as a healthy check on abusing leave packages such as this one. IWF’s own research on What Women Want in the Workplace reinforces this idea. Controlling for other workplace attributes there is very little difference in a woman’s preference for a job if they offer 15 days paid vacation leave or 20 or 25 days paid vacation leave. Workers want some reassurance that they will have time away from the office, but are reasonable in their expectations. 

“While Netflix can afford to offer this generous leave policy, lawmakers should be careful not to use this as an excuse to institute paid leave mandates across the board. Certainly all businesses can’t compete with Netflix and universal mandates will lead to fewer jobs, lower wages, and less flexibility all around. The best thing for all workers is a robust economy in which there are plentiful job opportunities, which will put upward pressure on both wages and benefits."

Independent Women’s Forum recently released Lean Together, a comprehensive set of positive policy reforms that the new Congress should take action on. Lean Together’s recommendations – including reforms to workplace policy, economic policy, tax policy, health care, education, and more – would shift us in a better direction toward a thriving American. 

 

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