Starbucks has doubled its paid parental leave policy for U.S. baristas working 20 hours or more weekly. CEO Brian Niccol announced Monday. The Seattle-based coffee chain now offers 18 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents and 12 weeks of paid leave for non-birthing parents, almost double the leave the average working mother receives after giving birth in the U.S., with paid and unpaid leave combined.
Starbucks claims it now has the best parental leave policy throughout the entire retail sector.
“We’re making Starbucks the unrivaled best job in retail—whether it’s career, college, or family,” Niccol said. “At Starbucks, we’re making it clear that when you put on the green apron, you’re making your future possible. Supporting our people is just good business and it fuels our shared success.”
The new parental leave policies start in March 2025. They are part of a series of new and ongoing benefits the company is touting in the wake of leadership changes, including the hiring of Niccol as CEO in September.
Other benefits Starbucks offers to baristas include 100% paid online college degrees from Arizona State University through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan and Bean Stock grants, which allow employees to invest in Starbucks stock.
These changes are all part of Niccol’s promises, made after his onboarding at Starbucks, to “make Starbucks the best place to work for every partner, in every store” and to actively engage with the Starbucks union. While offering above-average benefits for employees is not new for the coffee chain, introducing these benefits as part of a promise to improve the company’s relationship with its growing union is.
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