Starbucks has announced on Thursday, Jan. 19 that it will grant full parental leave pay for its employees.
According to the Associated Press, the revision to the coffee chain's policy applies to 160,000 employees. Those eligible for the benefits include employees who work 20 hours or more on average.
While the policy does not go into effect until Oct. 1, Starbucks has also extended its parental leave to 18 weeks. In the past, birth moms had only six weeks of paid leave with 67 percent of their average wage.
Mothers can also choose to get an additional 12 weeks off but without pay.
Starbucks follows companies like Netflix and Ikea in improving its policies for parental paid leave.
Furthermore, the Seattle company has also included paid leave for not only mothers, but also "non-birth fathers." That includes "fathers, one or both members of same-sex couples, and adoptive parents."
Recently, Starbucks has been making changes to its dress code with patrons embracing their baristas' new individual style.