Microsoft employees with ailing members of their immediate family can avail of 4-weeks of paid family caregiver leave to help care for them. This benefit has been made available to U.S employees since yesterday, the company said.

Microsoft employees in 22 countries already have the new benefit in place, and a broader rollout in the coming months is expected to cover the rest of Microsoft’s 121,500 employees worldwide. This benefit applies to employees who have immediate family member with a serious health condition.

Microsoft is among the companies forerunning and pushing the parental leave benefits and leave policies for its employees, amidst the growing labour crunch and lack of skilled technical workforce impacting IT sector globally. This policy is much in contrast to the world, and government mandate for such benefits.

In 2015, the Redmond Company added another 12 weeks of parental leave for new mothers and fathers. This newly introduced leave policy by Microsoft goes beyond the bare minimum granted by the U.S law and follows moves by several other industry majors.

On similar lines, Facebook also implemented a six-week caregiving leave this year, and LinkedIn which is acquired b Microsoft has its own caregiver leave program, Seattle Times reports.

“This important new benefit represents a significant milestone in our effort to build a culture of diversity and inclusion, and it demonstrates our deep commitment to employee wellbeing and care, and respect for the full career journey,” said Kathleen Hogan, EVP, Human Resources at Microsoft.

“I’ve often said that life happens when you’re working. And it’s true. We will all face difficult times that bleed over into work—no one is immune. As a global employer, we know it’s up to us to continually evaluate the needs of our workforce and provide market-leading benefits and programs to support our employees—at work and at home.”

See: More Unpaid Infant-care Leave Offered to Parents Working in Public Sector from July 2017

Microsoft already offers the following health related benefits to its employees, as mentioned in a blog:

• Medical and hospitalization. Industry-leading health coverage, more than many other companies offer.
• Vision care. One annual eye exam and reimbursement for one pair of glasses or contacts per calendar year.
• Dental care. Choose between a basic plan or a plan that covers more including orthodontic services.
• Physician house calls. Yes, that’s right. In the Seattle area, doctors can come to you, 24 hours a day.
• 24-hour health line. Receive useful, easy-to-understand information 24×7 to help you make sound healthcare decisions.
• Free on-campus health screenings and flu shots. Taking care of yourself is as easy as picking up lunch with our on-site Living Well Health Center.
• And life insurance, disability insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group legal coverage, dependent and healthcare flexible spending accounts, weight management programs and office ergonomics support.

New birth mothers receive 8 weeks of paid maternity disability leave, and may also take short-term disability (STD) leave starting 2 weeks in advance of their scheduled due date. For births, adoptions, or foster placements parents will receive 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave to bond with their new family.

Last year, consulting giant Deloitte and Discovery Communications both broadened their parental leave programs, 16 weeks and 12 weeks, respectively, to cover care giving for sick close relatives at home.

Also read: Female Employees at Standard Chartered Singapore Will Get 20-Weeks Paid Maternity Leave

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