While the decision to start a family and the following journey may be exciting for some, for others it can be challenging and come with many hurdles.
For example, those with infertility may not find natural conception straightforward. Then there are same-sex or non-heterosexual couples who cannot start a family in the conventional way. There are also single people who want to become parents that need assistance to do this.
For those that need fertility treatment to try and start a family, the situation can cause anxiety and be incredibly stressful for several reasons. Firstly, not everyone has the same access to fertility treatment. Many countries still favour nuclear families and so their fertility assistance policies may not include those that fall outside of this. Even for heterosexual couples, there is often stringent criteria that must be met to qualify for treatment. In the UK, for instance, there are age and weight restrictions for NHS IVF, and neither person may already have children from previous relationships.
If people don’t qualify for free or subsidised fertility treatment, the cost of private treatment can cause hardship or may even make starting a family an impossibility for some. On top of this, there is also the impact undergoing fertility treatment can have on mental health.
That’s why fertility benefits are so important. In this article, we explain what fertility benefits are, how they make a difference to employees and how here at Apryl, we can help.
What are fertility benefits?
Fertility benefits is the term used to encompass the benefits that companies provide their employees in relation to family planning.
At their most basic, these benefits can include access to information, consultations and diagnostic testing.
At their most comprehensive, they can include coverage for such fertility treatments as IUI, IVF, surrogacy, and egg and sperm freezing, as well as additional fertility support such as acupuncture, fertility nutritionists and therapy.
Fertility and family-forming benefits can also include other legal alternative ways to start a family, such as adoption.
A fertility leave policy will often go alongside a company’s fertility benefits and will outline the time off that employees are entitled to when undergoing fertility treatment.
Why are fertility benefits important?
With 15% of the population experiencing infertility and 7% identifying as LGBTQIA+, fertility benefits are a huge step toward inclusion and equality for those that cannot start a family through traditional means.
A company with fertility benefits that are accessible to all also helps employees to feel valued and can improve the overall company culture. By adopting a fertility benefits package, a company can show their employees that they recognise their staff’s right to start a family and that they are supportive of them doing so.
This is particularly valuable as employees, and specifically, female employees can worry about starting a family or taking time off for fertility treatment because of how this may impact their job security and career opportunities.
Fertility benefits also open the door for conversation about different family units, diversity, and infertility which are often subjects that come with shame or stigma attached. By being able to speak about their personal circumstances more openly and honestly, employees may feel less isolated and anxious and be more content at work.
Employers also have something to gain from offering fertility benefits. They can not only improve current employee retention rates, but they can also attract new and talented employees as well.
Fertility benefits with Apryl
Here at Apryl, we help modern companies to create fertility equality for their employees so that they can thrive in their careers and travel their path to parenthood simultaneously.
How does it work?
Apryl is a digital platform that allows employers to retain and attract top talent whilst tackling inequality and giving employees a versatile range of fertility benefits.
When an employer signs up with Apryl, they get access to an intuitive dashboard and management system that allows them to monitor and update their fertility benefits program all in one place. This is all backed by expert operational support from our specialist team.
In addition, the platform gives employees access to safe and confidential advice, appointments and family planning information.
What do employers get?
By adopting Apyrl’s fertility benefits program, employers will be able to offer inclusivity and support to all their employees, all whilst being supported themselves by our expert team.
Apryl will help employers craft and roll out their fertility benefits program. We offer guidance through all implementation stages, including customised support in the form of templates, webinars, workshops, and FAQs.
Using the Apryl platform, employers will be able to manage their employee list, ensuring all eligible staff are enrolled on the fertility benefits program.
Employers will also have access to anonymised employee data and be able to track utilisation and cost data with ease.
What do employees get?
When an employer joins Apryl, they give their employees access to a range of family-forming and fertility benefits.
- Unlimited consultations with fertility experts. Employees can receive personalised family planning guidance through unlimited consultations so that they can make an informed decision about when and how to start fertility treatment or the adoption process. Content is even personalised to your individual situation and all information is provided in an easy-to-understand manner.
- Information on partner clinics. If going down the fertility treatment route, employees will be able to access information about partner clinics so that they can choose the one that’s right for them.
- Preliminary fertility assessments. Employees can also have an initial consultation and diagnostic testing such as hormone blood work and sperm analysis.
- ART coverage. Employees will have coverage for fertility treatments such as IUI, IVF and sperm/egg freezing, including all monitoring, procedures and required medication.
- Easy reimbursement. Employees will be able to upload invoices directly to the platform so that they can be reimbursed according to the employer-funded budget.
- Adoption support. For those who decide to adopt, access to adoption guidance will be provided and agency, travel and legal fees will be reimbursed by your employer.
All of the above is done with the utmost privacy. Details of your treatment or what stage of your journey you are at will not be shared with your employer. If you are an employer who would like to find out more about implementing fertility benefits within your company, why not get in touch with Apryl? We can answer any questions you may have and arrange a demo of our platform so that you can see just how it works.
