16 Companies That Did The Right Thing For Parents In 2015 ~ Magento One Page Checkout

It's been a banner year for parental leave.

In 2015, reality set in: It makes zero sense that the United States remains the only developed country without a paid leave policy, so companies started taking the initiative to expand benefits for employees who were becoming new parents.

Beginning with companies in the tech industry, including eBay, Microsoft, Netflix and Amazon, employers boosted the amount of paid time off, with many granting the same to both moms and dads -- because it's okay for men to prioritize their families over their jobs, too. The shift prompted some banks, like Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs, to offer more generous parental leave packages as well.

And that's not even counting those outside the corporate world, including the U.S. Navy and federal workers, who also saw their leave benefits expand.

At this rate, 2016 is shaping up to be even better for parents.

Here's to 16 companies that did the right thing for parents this year:

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paid parental leave: 12 months for salaried workers; 12 to 16 weeks for hourly employees.
Previously: Hourly employees weren't paid fully during parental leave.
Netflix offers a very generous package to new parents -- but the benefits vary. Its salaried employees get up to 12 months of paid leave, while hourly workers receive between 12 and 16 weeks, depending on which department they work for.
Paul Faith/PA Wire

Paid maternity leave: 20 weeks.
Previously: Eight weeks.
Amazon announced in November that men will get paid time off as well. The company also introduced a six-week leave-share initiative, in which employees who return early from the six weeks off get paid for the remaining time, so their partner can take time off with the baby.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paid parental leave: 12 weeks.
Previously: Four paid weeks and eight unpaid weeks.
Moms can also take an additional eight weeks of paid maternity disability leave, as part of a common practice by employers that brings childbirth under disability insurance.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paid parental leave: Four months for all employees.
Previously: Four months for U.S. employees and female employees in international offices.
Facebook improved its leave policy for international dads in November. Earlier in 2015, the company also expanded benefits for its contractors, which includes a $4,000 new child benefit for parents.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paid maternity leave: Eight weeks.
Previously: Eight weeks at 80 percent pay.
Both moms and dads are also eligible for eight weeks of paid bonding leave.
Bennett Raglin/AP

Paid parental leave: 12 weeks.
Previously: 10 weeks of maternity leave at 80 percent of pay and no paternity leave.
Birth mothers get a total of 24 paid weeks off.
Bloomberg via Getty Images

Paid maternity leave: Six months.
Previously: Nine paid weeks for new moms.
Adobe also gives 16 weeks of paid leave for new fathers.
Bloomberg via Getty Images

Paid maternity leave: 16 weeks.
Previously: Eight weeks.
New parents at Accenture can also work locally with no travel during the child's first year. If a mother chooses to continue traveling for work, Accenture will pay for her to ship her breast milk home.
Bloomberg via Getty Images

Paid parental leave: 17 weeks for birth moms; nine weeks for new dads.
Previously: 12 weeks for moms; two for dads.
New parents don't have to take their leave all in one lump, which allows for more flexibility during their child's first year.
Mario Tama via Getty Images

Paid parental leave: Six months.
Previously: Spotify didn't clarify.
The leave policy extends to all of Spotify's employees globally, and can be used during the first three years of a child's life. The company is also offering flexible work options for employees returning to work.
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paid maternity leave: 16 weeks.
Previously: Vodafone didn't clarify.
Mothers returning to work can rejoice, too: Vodafone offers full-time pay for those who work 30-hour weeks during the first six months they're back.
Richard Drew/AP

Paid parental leave: Four weeks for dads, 16 weeks for moms.
Previously: Two weeks for dads, 16 weeks for moms.
New mothers have to take the first 12 weeks consecutively, and the last four are flexible.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paid maternity leave: 20 weeks.
Previously: 12 paid weeks, eight unpaid.
Credit Suisse will also pay for new parents to bring a nanny with them if they travel for business during their child's first year.
KKR

Paid parental leave: 16 weeks for primary caregivers.
Previously: 12 weeks.
In addition to extending its leave policy, private equity firm KKR & Co. will pay for a nanny to join employees and their child on business trips.
The Nation

Paid parental leave: Four months.
Previously: Two months.
These benefits are gaining traction in the tech world, but are nearly unheard of in the media industry.