November–December 2015
Article
Foreign Policy

The Baby Benefits Club

Format:Print

Abstract

This past summer several prominent firms seemed to be competing for the title of America's most family-friendly company. In August, Netflix announced plans to offer new mothers and fathers "unlimited leave". Microsoft countered quickly, promising to increase its own paid leaves substantially. Facebook had already made its mark, granting four months of paid time off for both parents and $4,000 in "baby cash". It's tempting to see these policies as early evidence that the US labor market, at least at its upper end, might finally be pushing in the direction of gender equality and more accommodating family practices. Change won't come quickly, and it won't be smooth. But even if a firm's executives don't take a full year of leave now open to them; even if more women than men take advantage of a policy; and even if the highest-ranking employees return to their desks only days after labor, the sheer fact that new options exist is important.