Spotify Announce Six-Month Parental Leave Policy; Company Implements 'Welcome Back' Program

Music streaming service Spotify, has announced it will offer full time employees, a one hundred percent paid six-month parental leave, according to Time.

The Swedish company says it recognizes the importance of "a healthy work-family balance."

Spotify, in 2008, launched its music streaming service and now has over 75 million users. The company will backdate their policy.

Employees worldwide, with a child born after Jan. 1, 2013 will be eligible, reported The Guardian.

The company made its announcement with White House senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, in its New York offices. Jarrett has emphasized that the administration is also pushing for a paid leave policy.

This is in support for the "Healthy Families Act," which requires companies with 15 or more employees to offer a 7-day paid sick leave per year. The White House offers a three-month paid leave to both men and women.

"The fact that the U.S. is the only developed country without a paid leave policy doesn't make sense," said Jarrett. "We really want to have a culture in our country were you can be a working parent and be productive at work."

According to the White House adviser, employees who have leaves increase worker productivity and for the company, profitability.

The paid parental leave is available to all the new parents at Spotify, this includes same-sex couples, surrogates and those who adopt.

Employees will also experience a 'Welcome back!" programme, where returning staff will be able to ease back into their jobs, having a choice whether to work from home, or do part-time with flexible hours.

"I think we can be a role model here," said Spotify's CEO, Daniel Ek, who spoke from Sweden. Ek also posted support for paid parental leave on Twitter, promoting the hashtag, #Leadonleave.

Spotify is proud to #LeadOnLeave. Introducing: 100% paid parental leave for all employees-Learn more: https://t.co/dbbU3Xjoli

— Spotify (@Spotify) November 19, 2015

New parents have the option to take the leave continuously, or in chunks until their child's third birthday. Workers can start their leave 60 days before the child arrives, revealed Huffington Post.

In Sweden, parents are eligible for a 480 day leave, which they can use until their child is eight years old; However, in the United States, there are no paid leaves to new parents.

The US is one of only three nations in the world that applies this policy.