Family-building benefits have evolved from a perk to a critical component of many employers’ Total Rewards programs. Driven by talent competition, employee expectations, and the need for more inclusive support, employers are expanding beyond traditional fertility coverage to support diverse paths to parenthood.
Your Total Rewards strategy
When you’re shaping or refreshing your family-building benefits strategy, consider the effect of these programs on cost management, inclusivity, and the employee experience. Consistent communication—not just during open enrollment—is crucial to ensure employees (and new hires) are aware of the benefits available to them.
Here are five meaningful ways employers are differentiating their programs:
- Fertility treatment: This is still the most widely offered and in‑demand benefit, often including IVF cycles, fertility drugs, diagnostics, and genetic testing. Employers are increasingly removing medical diagnosis requirements to enhance inclusivity.
- Adoption assistance: Reimbursement may cover adoption-related expenses such as legal fees, agency fees, and travel. Benefits vary by employer, with amounts under the IRS adoption tax credit limit ($17,670 in 2026) being non-taxable to employees.
- Surrogacy assistance: Eligible surrogacy costs may include gestational carrier fees, agency fees, medical procedures, legal costs, travel, and medications. Companies offering this benefit include Estee Lauder, American Express, Starbucks, and Walmart.
- Donor services and cryopreservation: Egg, sperm, and embryo freezing support is being used increasingly, enabling people to preserve fertility due to age, medical treatment, or personal choice.
- Family‑building navigation and coaching platforms: Specialized vendors, including Progyny, Carrot, and Maven, provide clinical guidance, emotional support, and care coordination to guide employees through fertility treatment, adoption, surrogacy, and early parenthood. Some vendors provide international support. Employers can choose a lifetime benefit payment range, allowing employees to allocate funds to the programs most relevant to them.
Ensuring work/life balance
Providing time for employees to enjoy family is also critical. Beyond PTO and traditional maternity leave, employers are offering additional leave programs:
- Family leave offers paid time off for parents, exceeding standard maternity leave.
- Bonding leave provides paid time off for birth, adoption, and foster placement, appealing to mid- and late-career employees who may use it when they become new grandparents.
In addition, state and federal leave programs may be available:
- Paid state family leave covers residents of specific states, regardless of employer-provided leave. Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia offer paid family leave, typically covering new families, caregiver leave, and medical leave.
- The Federal Family Medical Leave Act ensures time off for parents, caregivers, and medical needs.
The O’Keefe Group can partner with you to strategize and communicate about your Total Rewards program or any other employee communication needs.
