Should Companies Offer Adoption Services Assistance To Employees

Employer-provided adoption benefits for adoptive families go on to be a growing trend.

In 1990, a survey by Hewitt Associates constitute that only 12 per centum of companies offered some kind of employer-provided adoption assistance. Since then, the pct has risen steadily. By 1995, the percentage of employers offer adoption benefits had climbed to 23 pct. In 2004, the percentage grew again to 39 percent, with an boilerplate maximum reimbursement of $3,879 for adoption expenses. Finally, in 2008, Hewitt's survey reported that more than than half of the large employers surveyed said that they provide some grade of employer adoption assist.

In his book "Adoption Nation," Pulitzer-prize nominated journalist Adam Pertman says companies are finding that "providing adoption benefits non merely displays social responsibility and an ability to reply to changing conditions but also makes for more satisfied workers." Pertman also says that employer-provided adoption benefits can be a relatively cheap investment for employers since but near 0.i percent of employees with available adoption benefits at work use them.

Before you go on, if you're a birth mother searching for data on what benefits you lot can receive for placing a child for adoption, fill out this class to connect to ane of our professionals online. Nosotros can assistance explain how financial assistance is available for your pregnancy-related expenses and provide additional information on adoption.

What Types of Adoption Benefits Do Employers Offer?

Adoption benefits at work are usually like to benefits available to new biological parents. These employer-provided adoption benefits typically fall into three full general categories: information resources, fiscal assist and parental get out. Employers may offer 1 or more of these types of benefits during an employee's adoption process.

Information Resources

Resources made bachelor to employees may include:

Referrals to licensed adoption agencies, back up groups, and organizations
Access to an adoption specialist to answer questions nearly the procedure
Help with special situations, such as a special needs adoption

This type of employer adoption assist may be provided in contract with a homo resources consulting firm, as companies rarely have someone on staff who is well-versed in the adoption process and adoption professionals.

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Financial Assistance

Financial benefits take different forms, such as:

A lump-sum payment for an adoption, the amount of which will be determined past each employer
Payment of certain fees related to an adoption
Partial reimbursement to employees for expenses

Typical reimbursement plans cover lxxx per centum of certain itemized expenses up to an established ceiling (well-nigh $4,000 on boilerplate). Some employers reimburse at a higher rate for adoptions of children with special needs.

Almost often, employer-provided adoption assist covers public or individual agency fees, court costs and legal fees. Employers may too help with foreign adoption fees, medical costs, temporary foster care charges, transportation costs, pregnancy costs for a birth mother and counseling fees associated with placement and transition.

Some employers pay benefits per adoption, while others pay per child adopted. In most cases, employer-provided adoption benefits are paid afterwards the adoption is finalized, though some employers may pay when the child is placed or as expenses are incurred.

Parental Exit

In many cases, employers are required to grant parental exit to new adoptive parents. Federal police requires employers with 50 or more employees to offer both mothers and fathers upwards to 12 weeks of unpaid leave upon the nativity or adoption of a child. The law ensures that employees accept chore security and health benefits during the leave period. Read about the Family and Medical Leave Act at the U.S. Section of Labor website for more information.

Some employers permit employees to take more than 12 weeks of unpaid exit and use accumulated paid leave, like a holiday or ill go out, to extend their total leave. Other employers may offer paid leave for employees who adopt a child or may be bound by union contracts that have provisions for adoption get out, also.

In addition to federal constabulary, many states require employers to offer parental get out to adoptive parents. To discover out about a particular state, check your state's adoption policy handbook or contact the state's adoption program manager, whose information tin exist found in Data Gateway's online National Foster Care and Adoption Directory. Guaranteed parental go out can be the nearly helpful grade of employer adoption assistance and is a sign of an adoption-friendly workplace.

Eligibility and Conditions

Eligibility for an employer adoption help plan may depend on employment status (e.g. full-time versus part-time employees), length of employment or participation in a company-sponsored health programme.

The blazon of adoption also can affect the employer-provided adoption benefits. For example, some employers do not provide benefits for stepchild adoption. Others offer enhanced benefits for the adoption of a child with special needs.

Employers Offer Adoption Benefits

To detect out if your company offers some class of adoption benefits, ask your man resource or personnel department.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption encourages employer benefits for adoption. Its website includes:

Lists of employers that offering adoption benefits like fiscal reimbursement and paid get out
An annual list of the nation's "100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces"
A free toolkit and technical assist for companies wishing to propose or establish an adoption benefits policy

The Holt International website includes an extensive list of employers that provide adoption benefits likewise.

Employer-provided adoption benefits can exist incredibly helpful for families considering adoption. The adoption procedure tin can exist long and challenging. Knowing there will be information or financial assistance as well as parental leave from an employer tin make the process more manageable. If y'all would similar to speak to starting your adoption process, yous can request free information at whatsoever time.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. America Adoptions, Inc. provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.