[matthewsmom0505]

I'm working on a proposal to amend our "adoption leave" policy at work. Currently, employees can use vacation time and get 2 additional "adoption leave" days.

I'm curious what other employers do. I don't even care so much about financial help, I'm much more concerned with paid time off and want to be able to use my sick leave in addition to vacation, at a bare minimum. I might also add that my employer does not give any
paid time other than vacation, sick, and short term disability for moms who give birth. Pitiful.

I am determined to equalize the benefits my employer provides those who create a family through adoption vs. through giving birth. Wish me luck!

What does your employer do for AP's? Thanks in advance.

[ej-momtobe]

My employer gave me 1 month off with pay, along with $5K in Adoption assistance money. Then, I was able to take 2 additional months without pay (FMLA), plus any vacation time I had.

Good luck. 2 adoption leave days seems really short. I would think if an employer was going to recognize the need for adoption leave, they would give 2 weeks, not just 2 days.

[jordi]

Hi. I recently petitioned my employer for some adoption benefits as well. FYI, I should mention that as far as leave goes in general, we just get "paid time off" whether it's for vacation, holidays, or sick leave, we don't separate those out.

For mothers giving birth, they offer 4 weeks of short-term disability (70% of salary). You have to take 2 weeks of your own time (paid time off or unpaid) first, then the disability kicks in.

So when I approached them for benefits for adopting parents, they made it equitable. So after I take two weeks off (I'll use paid time off), then I'll get four weeks of 70% salary. I will then use six more weeks of my own leave, since I want three months (12 weeks) off.

It's not great, but at least they made it equitable. Also, they offer limited paternity benefits for fathers through birth or adoption, but I don't recall exactly what that was.

Good luck! Oh, and by the way, contact the Dave Thomas Foundation, as they have a great packet to send you and your employer regarding adoption benefits. More and more companies are doing it, and it might help your company to know that many others are already doing it!

[BobMiami]

With clenched teeth, and on a real mission, I changed my law firm's policy of giving "maternity" leave to adoptive parents. We got that done, and then it was on to making "maternity" leave applicable to the primary caregiver.

(I had plenty of time to do this. I was involved in the 2004 Hague mess and the adoption went on forever.)

Net result, I got 3 months of maternity leave as a single adoptive father. A year later they fired me for not achieving my billing targets the year of the adoption.

Hey, at least I got the time to bond with my son.
Bob

[judymend]

My employer gave me 4 weeks paid leave and any vacation/personal time that I had left. I was able to also take 2 months off (FMLA); as well as a 10K Adoption reimbursement.

[carlam]

My employer lets you take FMLA only. How do you get it changed to be similiar to maternity leave anyways?

[WeLoveMax]

My employer gave me 6 weeks adoption leave and $2500.00 towards adoption. I was able to take an additional 6 weeks off (FMLA).

[kzwief]

WOW! Most of you have nice adoption leave policies. I get paid nothing outside of my own vacation time. What really bites is they cash our vacation time out at the beginning of the year and you start with zero hours 1/1. I am going to ask if I can use short term disability to pay for a portion of the amount of time I can take off. Otherwise we might only be able to afford me being off work a couple weeks!

[grumpy31700]

My employer gives me 5 days personal time and FML, plus $3000. My wife gets FML and $3000 but she does not get the personal time. The 5 days personal time is only allowed once because I have two adoptions this year I am saving it for the second one to be complete

[Hopingsoon]

I was allowed to take the 12 weeks of FMLA. My company requires that you use 1/2 of any PTO that you have towards the 12 weeks. Fortunately, I picked up in December and had blown it all, or I would have started back to work with an infant and 1/2 of the amount of PTO I normally get, which would have been really tough. They don't offer any sort of adoption reimbursement.

[adoptnky]

When we finished our adoption, my company gave $5,000 in adoption assistance, and nothing for time off. I was able to save up all of my vacation/sick time. I took 12 weeks off total (FMLA time) - 5 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid.

Since then, they have added a 2 week paid leave to their benefits. This two weeks can be taken by a woman who gives birth (this is added to their short term disability for giving birth - so they can now take 8 weeks or 10 weeks paid depending on how the child made their way into the world), a father, or someone adopting.

Of course, they added this the year after I needed it.

I can't complain much, though. I was able to take off all the time I wanted to and it wasn't too bad.

Kim

[Hmom]

Our policy is the same for adoption and birth. 1 week parental leave and 6 weeks "adoptive" leave. All paid! I can take more but it would be unpaid. Also there is $5k reimbursement. My company is very generous!

[BarbnJeff]

My employer reimbursed $2,000 and my husband's company gave $5,000 (or is supposed to, they are being very slow with the paperwork).

I took 16 weeks of FMLA. I was able to stretch it past the 12 weeks because I was working part-time from home. It's really broken down into hours if you get into the nitty-gritty.

Barb

[gwenrenee007]

NOTHING! at all. Do I sound bitter? I am. Not a penny, no paid time off and my partner's boss actually said that because my partner was in the top 10% of her company they could replace her if her department needed someone in her position and her absence affected the company. She took 6 weeks UNPAID and we even had to pay FULL PRICE for health insurance. Not even the usual $70 we pay each month, but the $500 that her employer pays. They only give matertinity leave, becaue they don't have to pay the mother's salary they have a short term disability insurance company that they pays them and they pay the premiums to the insurance company.

I want to try and lobby for benefits, but the employer doesn't really seem to care so I don't want to waste my time.

[angieandstever]

My company doesn't give any paid time off but I did get $7500.00 in adoption reimbursement so that was nice. I was able to take up to 12 weeks off unpaid under FMLA. I could only afford 7 weeks though. Hubby didn't get anything. He is a teacher. He was able to take 10 of his days paid though so I guess that isn't too bad.