Johnson & Johnson To Give 8 Weeks Paid Leave For New Moms And Dads

(RTTNews) - Healthcare products giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), has increased its maternity leave for U.S. employees by eight additional weeks.

Starting May 1, all new parents - maternal, paternal, and adoptive - will have the opportunity to take eight additional weeks of paid leave during the first year of the family's birth or adoption, the company said in a blog.

This new policy now allows moms who give birth to take up to 17 paid weeks off and also does not require to take the leave consecutively.

U.S. law requires employers to provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave. However, smaller companies that have less than 50 employees are exempted due to their smaller business.