TotallyAwesome, a youth-first specialist marketing and media company, is offering employees up to $US5,000 ($A75000) towards fertility fees as well as extra leave for those receiving treatment.
Going through IVF can be very stressful, and this pioneering new policy recognises the difficult time, physically, emotionally and financially, that people undergo when having fertility treatment. They may also need their partner’s support, so TotallyAwesome is offering extra leave days for partners too.
The policy is available to all full-time employees (female, male and partners of employees) at TotallyAwesome who are undergoing or wish to undergo fertility treatment. The support offered includes:
- Up to USD$5,000 towards treatment
- Three days for one cycle for an employee who is going through IVF
- Two days if an employee’s partner is the one having treatment
- Counselling (internal or external) if they wish to talk to someone
Employees will also be offered appropriate support after treatment. In the first days after a transfer, while they are still waiting for a pregnancy test result, they can enjoy flexible working arrangements.
Will Anstee (lead image), CEO TotallyAwesome says that it’s about understanding that people have a life beyond work, with dreams and aspirations, passions and loves, and for some, challenges needing support.
“At TotallyAwesome, we are continually striving to do better and to make this a better place for all. We want to take a leading role in supporting our people through the physical, emotional and financial challenges and impacts fertility treatments have on individuals. I’m very proud of this policy and what it means for our team. We hope that it goes some way to ease what is a very hard time for some.”
TotallyAwesome values the diversity of all its employees and is fully committed to developing supportive working practices and employment policies that promote a positive work-life balance.