20 Best companies for paid maternity leave

The United States of America is one of the few first-world countries without nation-wide legislation providing parents with paid time off after the birth of their child.

There are, however, companies that have made great strides in their policies for new parents, most of whom are tech giants.

In celebration of National Women’s Equality Day here are companies with some of the best maternity leave policies in America:

1) Netflix

The California-based company announced in early August that in addition to it’s unlimited vacation and sick day policy, parents will receive the first year after giving birth or adopting a child completely off with full pay and benefits.

The only caveat, as NPR points out, is that the company’s fancy maternity leave policy applies only to “salaried streaming employees.” This means that of the 2,300 employees of the company an estimated 500 employees are not eligible for this perk.

2) Google

The tech giant offers up to 18 weeks paid maternity leave for mothers, and up to 12 weeks for both parents.

Google also offers what’s referred to as “baby bonding bucks,” a whopping $500 to be used for any or all baby expenses.

3) Facebook

The social networking company, run by expecting parent himself Mark Zuckerberg, offers employees 17 weeks off and $4,000 in cash to help with any new baby expenses.

In addition to these perks Facebook, along side Apple, made headlines this year for offering to pay for female employees to freeze their eggs.

4) Yahoo

Marissa Meyer’s company offers a stellar maternity leave package. New mothers get 16 weeks off with full pay and benefits, and new dads get eight weeks off.

However if you’re a new parent via adoption, surrogacy or foster placement, you’ll only be eligible for eight weeks off.

The company also offers $500 dollars to help with any baby expenses and also a bunch of Yahoo branded baby gifts.

5) Twitter

Twitter offers new birth mothers 20 weeks of paid maternity leave, and 10 weeks off for adoptive parents.

The company also reportedly holds “New Moms and Moms-to-Be” discussions every quarter for expecting and current mothers to share tips, ask questions and support one another.

Here are 15 other companies with amazing maternity leave policies:

6) Apple

7) Reddit

8) Instagram

9) Ernst and Young

10) Hewlett Packard

11) Microsoft

12) Pinterest

13) Arnold Porter

14) Goldman Sachs

15) Morgan Stanley

16) Deloitte

17) Citi

18) Bank of America

19) Cooley

20) Merrill Lynch

Matt Lee is a Web producer for Metro New York. He writes about almost everything and anything. Talk to him (or yell at him) on Twitter so he doesn’t feel lonely@mattlee2669.