San Francisco (CNN Business) Microsoft is giving its workers an additional three months of paid parental leave to deal with extended school closures due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Microsoft MSFT Parents who work for can choose how and when to use the leave — whether it's a three-month stretch or a few days a week — a company spokesperson told CNN Business. The company is calling the program "12-Week Paid Pandemic School and Childcare Closure Leave."

The news was first reported by Business Insider

The policy is meant to "give our employees greater flexibility and time off as they face extended school closures," the spokesperson added.

The coronavirus has forced schools around the world to shut, with UNESCO estimating that school closures across 188 countries are impacting more than 91% of the world's student population — around 1.6 billion children and young adults. Several US states have extended school closures , with some governors already announcing schools will remain shut for the rest of the academic year. That includes Washington, where Microsoft is headquartered.