Adoption Benefits

The adoption process is time-consuming and exhausting, not to mention expensive, much like having a newborn child. Because of this, many employers provide adoption benefits slightly akin to maternity leave. However, some companies also provide reimbursements up to a certain limit and may provide paid leave for a couple to spend time with their newest addition during his or her initial adjustment period. The federal government requires at least 12 weeks of unpaid leave for new parents, however, benefits are outlined by each private business.

Depending on the company you work for, adoption benefits may include paid leave, reimbursements or referral services. In fact, some prospective parents may not even be able to adopt without the help of their employer's adoption benefits. Providing adoption benefits makes companies more competitive employers, despite the fact that relatively few people will require adoption benefits, compared to maternity and paternity benefits. According to reports by the Institute for Women's Policy Research, it's to the employers capitalistic advantage to supply adoption and maternity benefits as women who receive them do not cost more in annual lost earnings.

In 2007, just under half of a thousand of the biggest corporate companies in America offered some form of financial assistance for adoption-related expenses.

According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, the most commonly reimbursed expenses are adoption fees, court costs, medical fees, transportation, temporary foster care, birth mother expenses and counseling.