Microsoft in internal memo offers paid leave to employees who can't work from home while schools are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak

• Microsoft is offering paid leave to parents who can't work remotely as schools close across Washington state, according to an email reviewed by Business Insider.
• The email comes after schools in Seattle and Bellevue, a suburb where many Microsoft employees live, on Wednesday announced plans to close for two at least weeks.
• Microsoft previously offered to pay vendors who work hourly even if conditions mean they can't come to work. Microsoft has had at least two COVID-19 cases among employees.
• The company has advised most employees to work from home, but is asking some sales people to continue working.
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As schools close across the Puget Sound region where Microsoft is headquartered, the company is offering paid leave to parents who can't work remotely while their children are home, according to an email reviewed by Business Insider.

Microsoft Executive Vice President Kurt DelBene sent an email to employees Wednesday night offering parents who can't work from home while a child's school is closed - either because of childcare needs or job requirements - two weeks of base pay without asking the employee to tap into sick time or vacation time.

"We are seeing many school closings in affect regions across the world," DelBene said. "We realize this will cause increased stress on the parents of school-aged children who are working from home while taking care of children. In response, we are offering additional support for parents to care for their children."

Parents can apply for additional four weeks of paid caregiver leave if schools remain closed. Microsoft asked parents to find alternate childcare options if school closures last beyond six weeks.

The email comes after schools in Seattle and Bellevue, a suburb where many Microsoft employees live, on Wednesday announced plans to close for at least two weeks.

The Puget Sound region has become an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. King County, where Microsoft is headquarted, has 234 confirmed cases and 26 deaths related to COVID-19 as of this writing, according to the state health department.

Microsoft, itself, has had at least two COVID-19 cases among employees. The company told most employees to work from home, but is asking some sales people to continue working.

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