The project is called “Fertility Benefits” and the company wants to use it to support employees who cannot fulfill their desire to have children in the usual way. And thus become and remain interesting for qualified personnel.
Couples who want children but cannot have them suffer greatly from this situation – often for years. For some, fertility treatment (such as artificial insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI for short) offers an opportunity to fulfill their desire to have children. But this is not only a physical and emotional challenge for everyone involved – but also a financial one. An “attempt” at fertility treatment can cost between 4,000 and 7,000 euros. And for many couples, more than one attempt is necessary.
Although numerous health insurance companies cover half of the costs under certain conditions – for example, the couple must be married and must not exceed a certain age limit – there is still a four-digit sum left over, which is likely to put a significant hole in any savings account. Where other couples can save money for their children’s future, affected couples first have to spend all their savings in order to have any chance of becoming parents. A large company now wants to help its employees who want to undergo the treatment.
Fertility treatments are expensive
The company Merck, which produces medical products and is also one of the leading providers in the field of fertility treatments, wants to soon provide financial support for artificial insemination, hormone therapy or egg freezing for employees and their partners. We know “about the enormous emotional and financial burden that infertility can pose for the people and families affected,” says CEO Belén Garijo. They want to take at least some of this burden off the employees’ shoulders.
This offer has been available in the USA for a long time and is now to be introduced in Germany and seven other countries in which Merck is active. The management speaks of “Fertility Benefits” and the possible grants are said to be in the low five-figure range. One reason for introducing this benefit is probably that qualified personnel, who are currently desperately needed in almost all industries, can be recruited and retained. Such a subsidy could also be attractive for employees in same-sex partnerships who want to have children.
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Subsidies for medical treatments are quite common among companies in other countries that do not have a health insurance system that covers as many areas as Germany. In this country, however, companies have to be more creative in order to inspire staff, since standard medical treatments are usually covered by health insurance. Merck has found a niche, but other companies are also trying: SAP, for example, will give fathers six weeks off work after the birth of a child from 2024 – with full pay.
Sources: , DPA
Source: Stern
