Women working in Microsoft can avail 6 months maternity leave

Microsoft India has doubled the maternity leave period for its employees to six months and will offer them flexible work arrangements up to two years.

The move is aimed at further boosting a healthy and productive work environment as well as emotional upliftment of the company's workforce, Microsoft said in a statement.

Microsoft currently offers three months of maternity leave.

"This (extension) is in addition to Microsoft India's continued support to its women employees by offering them the option of availing unpaid leave up to three months and flexible work arrangements up to two years," it added.

The new maternity policy will be effective from February 1, and will be applicable on all employees who are currently on maternity leave. Further, Microsoft will also offer two weeks of paternity leave to its employees, it said.

Additionally, to care for adopted children, mothers will be eligible for eight calendar weeks of paid leave, while fathers are eligible for two weeks of paid leave.

"We understand how important it is for new mothers to not only be able to spend time with their babies but also be able to transition back to work effectively," Microsoft India Head of Human Resources Rohit Thakur said.

The enhancements to the maternity benefits are intended to ensure women employees have the time and support they need to embrace this new phase of life, he added.

Over the past few months, a number of companies like Flipkart, Mondelez India Foods (formerly Cadbury India), Mumbai-based real estate developer K Raheja Corp, app-based fashion retailer Myntra have restructured their parent policies with many innovative additions.