Elon Musk, Twitter boss has reportedly slashed the company’s paid parental leave policy from 140 days or 20 weeks, to just 14 days or two weeks, according to internal company documents.
Sources say the San Francisco-based social media platform altered its previous policy to what is required by law in the region where the employees work, with an added two weeks of leave.
News About Nigeria gathered that in California, state law allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.
The policy gives nursing mothers working at Twitter’s headquarters little time to recover unless they want to risk their job and take unpaid leave.
Reacting to the development, a Twitter user, Tina Forrest said: “Two weeks! What do they expect 2 weeks and the child will be going to the bathroom on his own.?!..as an ex tweep and as a parent I cannot relate to this,” one Twitter user wrote.
“As a former Twitter employee that oversaw US LOA (leave of absence) and rolled out the 20-week policy in 2016, this is DEPRESSING.”
“I am so sorry to hear of the amazing policies/programs that are being dismantled,” she added.
Meanwhile, Tech firms have historically been among the most generous private sector companies in offering parental leave to their employees that go above and beyond those required by law.
Google’s parental leave policy allows for fathers to take up to 16 weeks while mothers can get paid while bonding with their newborn for 24 weeks.
Brooklyn-based online marketplace Etsy offers its employees a generous leave policy of 26 weeks fully paid.
Musk, one of the world’s richest tycoons by virtue of his stake in electric car maker Tesla, bought Twitter in a highly leveraged deal worth $44 billion last year.
Since taking over, Musk has instituted radical changes, including laying off more than 70% of the company’s workforce which numbered 7,500 before the acquisition last year and which has now been whittled down to some 2,000 workers.
The Twitter boss has also made several cost-cutting moves including revoking perks and privileges such as allowances for things like “wellness,” home internet and WiFi costs, companywide activities known as “Camp Twitter,” and daycare costs.
Twitter has also slashed mobile phone allowances as well as money meant to cover work-related travel expenses.
