Microsoft wants US suppliers to offer paid parental leave

Microsoft on Thursday said that it will begin requiring US suppliers to offer employees at least 12 weeks of parental leave when they have or adopt children.

The new policy applies to suppliers with 50 or more employees and workers who do substantial work for the US technology giant, according to Microsoft general counsel Dev Stahlkopf.

"We recognize today's announcement comes during an ongoing national dialogue about the importance of paid parental leave," Stahlkopf said in an online post.

"The case for paid parental leave is clear." Three years ago, Microsoft began requiring major suppliers to provide paid time off for workers, and parental leave was described as a reasonable next step.

"Paid time off is good both for employers and employees," Stahlkopf said. Only 13 per cent of US workers in the private sector have access to paid parental leave, according data cited by Microsoft.