Microsoft US employees will get unlimited vacation (all, even new hires)

Microsoft is running for the title of “best company to work for” worldwide. The Redmond giant announces something new: in contrast with the standards of large US companies, Microsoft employees will soon be entitled to unlimited holidays.

Microsoft has decided to give ” unlimited time off ” to its employees in the United States. The new “discretionary leave” will take effect from January 16 and new employees will also be able to benefit from this policy.

Employees who have overdue leave will receive compensation for unused days.

Employees who have accrued leave overdue will receive compensation for unused days. In addition to the discretionary leave, Microsoft has also provided a package of company holidays (10 days) and leaves for sickness or bereavement. Previously, Microsoft had introduced permanent remote working and a $1,500 bonus to deal with the pandemic.

Unlimited holidays – provided you reach minimum productivity goals – is an experiment already tested by several other tech companies, such as bitpanda and Netflix, to name two of the most famous cases. However, Microsoft is the first tech giant with a global workforce of over 100,000 employees to introduce unlimited holidays into the already generous package of benefits offered to each employee, regardless of their job title. The new regulation will enter into force on 16 January and will also benefit new hires.