Not So Fast, Netflix. 'The Nightly Show' Proves Your Parental Leave Policy Isn't That Great

By Emily Cutler | Videos | August 12, 2015 |

By Emily Cutler | Videos | August 12, 2015 |

While The Nightly Show and I have had our disagreements, we’ve reached what I think is a fair compromise. I watch every single episode until they stop being funny. I’m not willing to stick it out through a bad segment like I would for other shows, but I’m always open to letting them impress me.

It’s actually going pretty well. After last night’s pieces on Ferguson, one shockingly necessary and one surprisingly hysterical, The Nightly Show did an actual critique of Netflix’s new parental policy. You know, one that isn’t batshit crazy gibberish.

Goddamnit, Netflix! Are you serious with this?

There’s also criticism over who the new policy leaves out. As we reported last week, the policy only applies to “salaried streaming employees,” and doesn’t cover workers in the company’s DVD distribution centers, where the work is usually lower-paid and more physically demanding. NPR estimates that distinction will ultimately leave out between 400 and 500 Netflix employees.

Really!? Really? Haven’t we already done this? Create a system where well-paid employees with greater access to resources are given benefits denied to lower-paid employees who already have a harder time securing high quality, low cost care? Does no one else remember that we’re still in the middle of a health care crisis because we pulled the same nonsense for the past 70 years?

And in Netflix’s defense, most companies aren’t responsible for ensuring their employees’ child care needs are covered. A business’ job is to make as much money as they can. A government’s responsibility is to make sure that its citizens basic needs are met in order for the country as a whole to prosper. Paid paternal leave should be guaranteed by the government and paid with tax money. You know, like how almost every other country in the world does it.

Until that happens, Netflix’s policy is admirable because they’re at least trying to make a difference. But keep it admirable, Netflix. Don’t compound the child care problem by ignoring your 500 employees who need it most.

Source: NPR