The latest Talking Benefits podcast episode dives into family forming benefits, or any benefit that is helpful in assisting workers in starting or growing a family. It can take the form of a specific benefit offering or time off on either a paid or unpaid basis.

My fellow pod squad members and I covered the following topics under the “family forming benefits” umbrella:

  1. Fertility benefits, including the actual diagnosis of infertility, plus tests and services like physical exams, medications, lab tests, genetic testing, IVF, non IVF treatments, and egg harvesting and freezing.
  2. Surrogacy reimbursement program—while many different families consider surrogacy for different reasons, it is the only biological pathway for parenting for some LGBTQ couples or individuals.
  3. Adoption, including resource or referral services, financial assistance, and leave.

We also talked about the reasons to offer family forming benefits. It’s important for employee recruitment and retention, it demonstrates an employer’s support for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, and supports employees’ mental and financial well-being.

The team spent time identifying steps an employer can take if they are looking to add or enhance family forming benefits. We also discussed paid leave options surrounding these benefits.

Give this episode a listen if you want to dive more into the world of family forming benefits!

Don’t miss a single episode! 

Subscribe to Talking Benefits iTunes

Subscribe to Talking Benefits on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts for automatic updates as new episodes are released, or watch for new episodes on the International Foundation website.

Anne Patterson

Director, PR, Communications & Brand Favorite Foundation Product: Foundation Community. It’s like LinkedIn but only for Foundation members. They can post questions, share best practices, etc—all with fellow members who also live and breathe employee benefits. Benefits-related Topics That Interest Her Most: Mental health, diversity, equity and inclusion, behavioral decision making, family-forming benefits, payroll audits. Personal Insight: When she’s not busy keeping up with her two little ones, Anne finds joy in home renovation and décor, haiku writing, watching Jeopardy, crafting charcuterie boards, and bicycling.

Recommended Posts

Empowering Women by Supporting Their Well-Being at Work

Ashton DeMoss
 

While much work has been done to break down systemic barriers and biases for women both personally and professionally, these issues still exist. In fact, research collected by the World Economic Forum highlights that, at the current rate of progress, it will take until […]

Building Employee Engagement in Today’s Multigenerational Workplace

Amanda Wilke, CEBS
 

Amid reports of declining employee engagement in both the United States and Canada, employers may want to consider adapting their benefits and workplace strategies to help stop the decline. Finding ways to meet the expectations of employees from multiple generations is one […]

Navigating a Crisis: Essential Post-Disaster Strategies to Protect Organizations and Employees

Tim Hennessy
 

Turning crises into opportunities has long been a guiding principle in preparing for future needs—whether related to health care, education, retirement or other financial goals. But what if uncertainty crept into your life today instead of tomorrow? When the unexpected occurs, organizations […]