Deloitte and Zoom have each reduced paid family‑leave benefits, ending a brief period when firms competed on parental perks. Deloitte will cut leave for certain support staff to eight weeks, while Zoom trims its standard maternity leave from 22 to 18 weeks and non‑birth parents from 16 to 10 weeks. The shift follows a dip in U.S. employer‑offered paid leave to 31 % in 2025.

Analysts warn the cuts could hit female workers hardest, since paid leave has been linked to higher retention among women. At Deloitte, reductions target lower‑paid administrative roles, a group predominantly female, according to Joan Williams of the Equality Action Center. The broader retreat mirrors a weakening labor market and a rollback of diversity‑focused benefits that grew during the pandemic, and could widen the gender pay gap.

Zoom claims its revised policy still outpaces most U.S. peers, while Deloitte says the changes better align benefits with market norms. Yet competitors such as Starbucks are expanding leave, highlighting a split strategy among large employers. Investors should watch how benefit adjustments influence talent attraction and retention, especially in sectors reliant on high‑skill, gender‑balanced workforces in the near term.