According to recent polls, 47% of chief U.S. companies offer some form of financial support to adoptive parents, increased from 12% of companies in 1990. The specific packages offered vary greatly; in a 2007 survey of 762 companies, the average adoption benefit package includes five weeks of paid leave and a reimbursement of $4,700. Other companies offered anywhere between one week of paid time off and a $500 stipend to 16 weeks of paid leave and a reimbursement of $20,960, allowing for total coverage of an average international adoption. In addition, companies also supply employees with outside adoption information, support groups, and agency contacts.

Though a company must fund 100% of adoption benefits without insurance assistance, the cost of providing these benefits is relatively low, as they are not an ongoing cost. In addition, the benefits for employers who offer increased adoption benefits are numerous. These packages allow for the promotion of a family- friendly image among the community and to potential new employees, and, as 50% of Americans have either adopted children themselves or have close relationships with adoptive parents, adoption benefits allow companies to stay current with the changing American family.

Some adoptive parents report that without employer adoption benefit packages, adoption would be more difficult due to high costs. In addition, as more and more people consider adopting children, whether or not employers offer assistance is an important issue for potential employees.

A 3-5% increase in companies offering adoption benefit packages is expected in the coming years as well as continued expansion of benefits offered, such as increased incentives for parents who adopt foster children. Employers interested in creating employee adoption benefit packages are offered free assistance on The Dave Thomas Foundation’s website.

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