U.S. Companies That Are Adoption Friendly

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption recently released its annual survey of companies that are most adoption friendly. The survey was compiled based on an analysis of benefits offered to adoptive parents including maximum amount of financial reimbursement and paid leave.

American Express

American Express is leading the way in showing its support for adoptive families. This year it jumped 30 spots to number one on the list and is being praised by the Dave Thomas Foundation for the enhancements it has made to its benefits for adoptive families. These benefits include:

• Up to $35,000 to full and part-time employees in the U.S. towards the cost of adoption
• 20 weeks of paid leave to men and women who welcome a child through adoption

Other Companies At The Top Of The List

The number of companies becoming adoption friendly by providing financial adoption benefits has steadily risen from only 12 percent in 1990 to 52 percent in 2013. That is huge progress for families who have adopted or are looking to adopt. Companies that made the top five list behind American Express include Capital One Financial, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Quality Supply Chain Co-Op and Citizens Bank.

Not The Norm

Unfortunately, the companies that made the top 100 list do not represent the norm for U.S. employers when it comes to providing adoption benefits. Most of the companies on the list represent banks and financial institutions that employ a small number of the workforce. Some large companies, such as Amazon, Wal-Mart, Starbucks and McDonalds, offer financial benefits for adoption to higher-level managers but do not extend the same benefits to hourly wage earners. Other companies provide financial benefits to adoptive parents, but give significantly less than what is given to biological parents.

For those organizations interested in providing adoption benefits, the Dave Thomas Foundations offers a Adoption-Friendly Workplace Kit to establish adoption-friendly policies within the workplace that benefit families who adopt.

To learn more about adoptions, contact our Adoptions From The Heart offices in:

Greensburg, PA (Pittsburgh)
1225 S. Main St #207
Greensburg, PA 15601
(724) 853-6533

Philadelphia, PA
30 Hampstead Cir
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(610) 642-7200

Allentown, PA
2212 Union Blvd
Allentown, PA 18109
(610) 432-2384

Chesapeake, Virginia 
1407 Stephanie Way #H
Chesapeake, Virginia 23320
(757) 361-0008

Glastonbury, Connecticut
703 Hebron Ave #1
Glastonbury, CT 06033
(860) 657-2626

Harrisburg/Lancaster, PA
1525 Oregon Pike 
Lancaster, PA 17601
(717) 399-7766

Cherry Hill, New Jersey
451 Woodland Ave
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
(856) 665-5655

Wilmington, Delaware 
18A Trolley Square
Wilmington, DE 19806
(302) 658-8883