Microsoft to require suppliers to provide paid leave to workers

The software giant said that paid leave is an important benefit for workers

Suppliers that do business with Microsoft in the US will have to provide employees handling the company's work with at least 15 days of paid leave each year, Microsoft announced on Thursday.

"We believe paid time off is an important benefit for workers in our economy," Brad Smith, general counsel and executive president of legal and corporate affairs at Microsoft, wrote in a blogpost announcing the new initiative.

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