The nation’s largest retailer and private employer said Tuesday it’s partnering with
The expanded offerings, which start
Financial terms weren't disclosed.
“Providing access to high-quality health care is very important to us, and we’ve heard from our associates that improved access to fertility, surrogacy and adoption support is a priority for them and their families,” said
But given its clout, the expanded benefits from
It “signals that fertility benefits have joined medical, dental and vision as a standard workplace benefit for leading employers," according to
The announcement of expanded fertility offerings comes after
Competition has grown especially tough for hourly or lower-wage workers in retail, hospitality or health care sectors, according to researchers with the benefits consultant Mercer. In those areas, a small increase in pay or benefits can prompt people to leave for another job.
“These benefits are a way to sort of add value without necessarily increasing pay by a significant amount,” said
Adding benefits that help with family planning also can make a company more attractive to LGBTQ employees.
“The path to parenthood can be complex and expensive, and the journey is not the same for all families,” said
Mercer’s annual employer survey has tracked a big jump in companies offering a core fertility benefit, help with in vitro fertilization, which involves creating embryos by mixing eggs and sperm in a lab dish.
The consultant found that 36% of companies with 500 or more employees covered IVF treatments in 2021. That’s up from 27% in 2020.
For years before that, the percentage of companies offering that benefit usually hovered between 20% and 22%, said
Relatively few employees may end up using a company’s help with adoption or coverage of fertility treatments, but those benefits mean a lot to the people who use them, Umland noted.
“That makes you an employer of choice if you are providing that benefit,” she said.
In the
About 38% of companies with 500 or more employers offer or plan to provide financial assistance with adoptions next year, according to Mercer research.
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