Amazon offers a different kind of paternity leave for its full-time employees. It’s designed to give employees a choice in how they manage their break so that it fits their needs and helps them spend time with loved ones.
So, if you’d like to find out what Amazon’s paternity leave policy entails – from eligibility requirements, to what your pay entitlements are while on leave- then keep reading!
Does Amazon Offer Paternity Leave In 2024?
Amazon offers up to 6 weeks of paid paternity leave for full-time employees, following the birth of a child or a recent adoption in 2024. Once a child has been born or adopted, new parents can have eight weeks of flex time to reacclimate to working. Through the Leave Share Program, workers can share leave with spouses.
To learn more about the guidelines for paternity and maternity leave at Amazon, including eligibility and requirements, keep reading for more facts!
How Long Is Amazon’s Paternity Leave?
Amazon offers a comprehensive paternity leave plan that gives new fathers up to six weeks of paid parental leave.
In addition, all Amazon mothers are eligible for up to four weeks of prepartum, and ten weeks postpartum paid maternity leave.
Instead of taking paternal or maternal leave all at once, Amazon employees can split it up into two different periods.
What Is the Amazon Ramp Back Program?
As new parents attempt to transition into full-time employment, primary caregivers are also eligible for the Ramp Back program.
This allows workers to have flexible or part-time schedules for up to 8 weeks.
Some Amazon employees are at the whim of partners whose jobs do not provide paid parental leave.
However, they can take advantage of Amazon’s Leave Share program.
This innovative platform enables employees to share any portion of their paternity or maternity leave to help each other out.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Paternity Leave at Amazon?
Amazon offers fully paid leave for new fathers, provided they meet the following requirements:
- They’re full-time employees (i.e Work over 40 hours per week)
- Their child was born or adopted after January 1, 2015
- The birth or adoption is through an “approved surrogacy arrangement.”
How Much Can an Employee Be Paid During Paternity Leave?
While on paternity leave, employees can receive Amazon’s entire salary for six weeks on leave if they work full-time.
How Long Do You Have to Work at Amazon to Be Eligible for Paternity Leave?
According to company policy, employees must have worked at Amazon for thirty-six months before they can request paternity leave.
What Is the Paternity Leave Policy for Amazon Employees Working in the UK?
Paternity leave is available to new fathers who work for Amazon in the UK.
In 2015, Amazon UK began offering paid leave for both mothers and fathers for up to six weeks, and mothers receive as much as 20 weeks of leave.
Like the US, Amazon UK also offers a Leave Share program, allowing employees to share their paid leave with spouses who do not have paternity leave.
Specific criteria must be met in order to qualify for paternity pay, such as the following
- You must be a full-time Amazon UK employee.
- You must have worked for Amazon at least 26 weeks in the last 15 weeks before the due date of your pregnancy.
- Before adopting, you must have worked for Amazon for 26 weeks when you were notified that you were matched with your child.
- You will be required to work with Amazon until the day your child is born or adopted.
- You may be the biological father, adoptive parent, or partner of the mother, and have responsibility for bringing up their child.
- You must have attained at least £120 before tax for eight weeks in a row (or the week you are notified about being matched with the child) to be eligible for adoption benefits.
In addition, employees must also notify Amazon about the following:
- When the baby is due or the required adoption appearance dates
- Amount of leave desired
- When the desired start date is for the leave
All of this information must be provided to Amazon human resources in writing.
Amazon must receive this information at least 15 weeks before the week the baby is due, or within seven days of being notified of an adoption match.
Also, employees can begin their paternity leave on any day of the week.
Is It Worth Taking Paternity Leave From Amazon?
Before you decide to take paternity leave, it’s essential to weigh your benefits against what you’ll miss out on during your absence.
For starters, you won’t be able to be promoted while you’re on paternity leave.
If you’re in sales or marketing, this could jeopardize your job if you have dedicated projects that won’t get worked on by you while you’re gone.
In addition, if someone else has already taken paternity leave in your company, there’s a possibility that they’ll have seniority over you when they return.
However, if these consequences don’t bother you, and all other factors point towards taking paternity leave from Amazon, go for it!
However, it’s recommended to discuss the decision with your manager beforehand, so that there are no surprises about what will happen during this time away from work.
If you are looking to learn more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Amazon offers transportation for employees, Amazon vacation policy, and Amazon bereavement policy.
Conclusion
Amazon may be one of the biggest companies in the world and has a comprehensive paternity leave policy. Recently, Amazon began offering men six weeks of paid leave to care for a newborn or newly adopted child.
However, an Amazon employee must be a full-time employee before they are eligible for this leave.
