What to Know About Employee Benefits That Include Family Planning and Reproductive Services

Amid an unpredictable labor market, your organization must understand the priorities of prospective and current employees. In many cases, employee benefits packages have become just as important to workers as compensation, if not more so. Optimal employee benefits vary significantly among workplaces, so your organization must conduct due diligence and determine what programs your workers may prioritize. For many employees, benefits related to planning and starting their family may be particularly desirable.

What Benefits Can Help Employees Plan and Start Their Families?

Employee benefits focused on helping your workers start and build their families are becoming an increasingly popular component of employers’ offerings. By including these options in your organization’s employee benefits portfolio, you can be inclusive of the various approaches your employees may have as they attempt to start the next chapter of their lives.

Although your organization may have many choices when deciding what family-planning benefits to offer your workforce, some of the most common may include the following:

• Fertility treatments—Many couples may struggle to conceive or sustain a pregnancy. By providing your employees with fertility treatment benefits, they may be able to access crucial procedures and medical services, such as the following:
• Intrauterine insemination
• In vitro fertilization
• Genetic and diagnostic testing
• Fertility medications
• Donors and surrogacy—These benefits may provide financial assistance to individuals or couples who are unable to conceive by helping to pay for the following:
• Donor sperm
• Donor eggs or embryos
• Surrogacy payments
• Adoption benefits—Your organization may provide similar benefits to adoptive parents as those becoming biological parents. This may include paid leave and other forms of financial assistance.
• Mental health resources—Although counseling services and other benefits related to mental health may be used by parents and nonparents alike, those planning a family may find such offerings particularly valuable given the financial and emotional stress that can accompany the family-building process.
• Flexible work arrangements—Allowing your employees to work remotely or with flexible hours can help them maintain a healthy work-life balance, spend time with their families and limit childcare costs, such as daycare.
• Paid time off—Providing your employees with paid maternity and paternity leave following the birth or adoption of a child can help them enjoy time with the new addition to their families while reducing financial stress.

Why Should Employers Offer Family-planning Benefits?

As an employer, your workers are one of your most valuable resources. Optimal employee benefits packages can help your organization care for its employees and may cultivate several positive effects in the workplace, such as the following:

• Increased inclusivity—Providing ample options for family-planning benefits can help ensure all employees, such as single parents and same-sex couples, have access to necessary resources.
• Better attraction and retention—Employee benefits are an integral component of your organization attracting and retaining talent. Offering ideal family-planning benefits may inspire loyalty among current employees and separate your company from the competition for many candidates who prioritize these offerings.
• Healthcare savings—By offering benefits specifically tailored for planning and starting a family, your employees can access optimal services and increase their likelihood of successful fertility, pregnancy and birth processes. As such, costs related to neonatal intensive care and other medical services may be limited.

We’re Here to Help

With over 40 years of experience helping employers build suitable employee benefits packages, the agents at Lyceum Insurance Services are well-equipped to do the same for your organization. We will work with you to cultivate a clear benefits strategy, craft an ideal portfolio and ensure your employees understand their options.

Visit our website or call 301-840-6624 to get started today.

This blog is intended for informational and educational use only. It is not exhaustive and should not be construed as legal advice. Please contact your insurance professional for further information.