Debt Free Adoption: Employer Adoption Assistance Programs

Ack! Has it really been two months since I connected with you lovely people? I do apologize for the hiatus, but we had a lot of exciting things happen this summer (including some travel and a big job change #dreamjob). Unfortunately, no adoption news, but I still have so much more to share with you all on this site.

I credit my return to my Facebook adoption groups. I saw several people asking about this exact topic--the kind of topic that could truly add value to your lives and adoption journey!

My last Debt Free Adoption post was one of the most read, so here's the second in that series.

What is an Adoption Assistance Program?

Just like any other expecting parents, adopting a child usually means working with your employer to figure out what, if any, parental benefits they might offer. And, just like them, you will be figuring out how much paid, unpaid, or partially paid time off you can take to bond with your new baby or child. But, instead of calculating insurance coverage for costs associated with with birth, you will want to check in to any Adoption Assistance Programs that may be available through your employer. While it's more likely for a larger employer to participate in these kinds of programs, it never hurts to check, even with a smaller business! It could mean a couple thousand dollars to help offset your adoption fees. As part of my Debt Free Adoption series, this article will cover how to check if your employer offers adoption benefits, and how to ask for benefits or an increase in those benefits.

A few things to be aware of:

• Most companies won't provide reimbursement until the adoption is finalized.
• Most companies have a max payout per year or per child.
• If you and your partner are both employed at this company, there may be stipulations about how much you can apply for.
• You will most likely pay income tax on the disbursement.
• You will have to provide receipts and proof of costs.
• You may not be able to use the same costs you used for your Adoption Tax Credit.
• Get ready for more paperwork. But you're used to it by now, right?

While reviewing the hiring packet and benefits at my previous company back in 2012, I remember scanning the Adoption Assistance benefits and thinking, "How nice for those people. What a generous company I work for." I never even guessed that I'd be reading that same document 5 years later with an entirely different perspective.

Today, I'd like to share how I worked with our benefits manager and HR team to improve the existing Adoption Assistance Program at that job. Before I meddled, the reimbursement amount was $1,500. While this amount is definitely helpful, it was not on par with other companies of a similar size.

Do Your Homework

Before you start preparing your email or speech or however you want to approach this, determine the following:

• What, if any, current benefits are provided by your employer.
• Research what other local companies of a similar size are offering.
• Consider appealing to their humanitarian side with a brief personal account of your adoption journey, how you're pursuing adoption, and what it may cost you.
• How you will appeal to your company to increase this benefit. Consider how this perk would be useful to them, such as:
• attracts quality employees.
• could become an Adoption Friendly Workplace.
• provides peace of mind to HAPs (Hopeful Adoptive Parents).
• offers a very attractive benefit without a big cost (percentage of employees who will use this benefit is low).
• advocates for adoption.

Prepare Your Plea

Here's a secret: you don't have to come up with this stuff on your own! There's a fabulous resource called the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that honors Adoption-Friendly Workplaces and provides an excellent toolkit with everything you'll need to work with your employer to improve or implement a Adoption Assistance Program. This toolkit includes:

• Adoption benefits fact sheet
• Adoption benefits tax summary
• FAQs
• Sample adoption benefits financial reimbursement form
• Sample adoption benefits news release
• Sample adoption benefits policy
• Sample adoption benefits proposal

Basically everything you need to make an excellent case for a new or improved program that will help you and future adoptive parents at your company is included in this kit.

Unfortunately, I did not discover this resource until after I went out on my own to plead my case with HR. Here is my actual email to our benefits managers (names changed to protect the innocent).

From: Kira
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2017 11:30 AM
To: Jill Johnson, Briar Abramson

Subject: Comcotech Adoption Assistance Program

Hi Jill and Briar,

My husband and I are pursuing adoption, and I was checking out the Comcotech adoption assistance program. We very much appreciate that Comcotech is willing to help with some of the expense. During my adoption research, I noticed that the average company that offers assistance provides closer to $4,000 (or, according to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, $7,000). As a local example, Medcocom provides $5,000 (up to $10,000 per year) for its employees.

Our adoption will cost us at least $25,000, but maybe as much as $40,000, so we are looking for as much help as we can get. I was hoping Comcotech could review its adoption benefits. Adoption benefits are a very attractive recruiting perk, but they are only used by 0.5% of employees, creating a cost effective recruiting item. Comcotech can also get recognition for being an adoption friendly workplace: https://davethomasfoundation.org/partner/become-an-adoption-friendly-workplace/

Thank you for this consideration,

Kira

What's next???

Let's say that all your hard work pays off and your company approves the new or improved Adoption Assistance Program, which is what happened for me.

Hard work is done, right? Well, yes, but make sure that you:

• Acknowledge and thank everyone involved in this success.
• Share the new program with other employees and even your network of friends and family.
• Nominate your company for the Adoption-Friendly Workplace awards.

Here's a real-life Adoption Assistance program example:

If your lobbying was unsuccessful and no changes were made or program was implemented, don't despair! You can always try another tactic or angle, or look for another employer who does offer this perk.

Stay tuned for more Debt Free Adoption posts coming soon!