Offering fertility benefits to all employees, including LGBTQ+ and single prospective parents, is a positive way to create a more inclusive workplace.

The pandemic has caused many employers to reevaluate their benefits packages, including fertility and family planning.

"The pandemic has impacted families planning for a new addition in different ways, but one thing is constant — the need for employees to feel supported, both emotionally and financially, through this major life event," according to a report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.

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The foundation's 2020 Employee Benefits Survey of U.S. employers found that:

  • 24% cover fertility medications (8% covered in 2016, 14% in 2018)
  • 24% also cover in vitro fertilization treatments (13% in 2016, 17% in 2018)
  • 14% cover visits with geneticist, surrogacy and other counselors (4% in 2016, 8% in 2018)
  • 12% cover genetic testing to determine infertility issues (up slightly from 11% in 2018)
  • 11% cover non-IVF fertility treatments (6% in 2016, 11% in 2018)
  • In 2016, only 2% of organizations covered egg harvesting/freezing services. That jumped to 6% in 2018 and even higher in 2020, with 10% reporting that they cover the benefit.

"Fertility clinics are reporting that egg harvesting and freezing happened more than usual in 2020 because women were putting off having babies during the uncertainties of the pandemic," said Julie Stich, vice president of content for the foundation. "Fertility benefits can be highly valued by talent no matter their gender identity or relationship status."

Offering fertility benefits to all employees, including LGBTQ+ and single prospective parents, is a positive way to create a more inclusive workplace, she said. For families looking to adopt, paid or unpaid leave and financial assistance are trending up over the past few years.

  • 16% of companies offered paid adoption leave in 2014. That figure climbed to 27% in 2020.
  • The number of businesses offering unpaid adoption leave dropped slightly from 26% to 25% during the same period.
  • The percentage of employers offering financial assistance with adoption rose from 12% to 17%.

These benefits are more likely to be offered by larger organizations (5,000-plus workers) and by those that are self-funded. "More employers are supporting employees as they grow their families, because they recognize that providing these benefits helps nurture overall happiness and well-being," Stich said

The complete survey report also covers pension and retirement benefits, health-care benefits, voluntary benefits, paid leave, work/life benefits and more.

Alan Goforth

Alan Goforth is a freelance writer in suburban Kansas City. In addition to freelancing for several publications, he has written a dozen books about sports and other topics.