Lidl Ireland are generously offering all employees who are undergoing IVF fertility treatments, two days paid leave, at full pay per cycle, regardless of the length of their service. There is also no limit to the number of IVF cycles for which employees can take advantage of this.
Last year, the supermarket became the first Irish company to recognise early pregnancy loss and miscarriage as a bereavement, as part of its new compassionate leave policy.
This latest policy is in response to the rising incidence of IVF treatment in the north.
This really is a wonderful breakthrough for those living in Ireland, as IVF is available only privately in Ireland, and as we all know, the cost of IVF is not cheap. A single round of IVF can cost around €5,000 in Ireland. But patients need to be aware of add-ons too. The associated costs when ICSI is needed, blastocyst culturing, embryo cryopreservation and storage, among other procedures, add a few thousand more to the initial cost of the treatment. In addition, patients may require multiple rounds of IVF to get to the desired outcome.
Add to that, the pressure of having to take time off to go to appointments, and it can all be not only a financial nightmare, but emotionally and physically draining, with many employees having to schedule fertility appointments early in the morning, before they start work.
Many employees also feel that they can’t speak to their employer about needing to take time off work. Emma, one of our readers who works in a supermarket in the UK that doesn’t yet support their staff told us:
“There is no support for women going through fertility treatment where I work. I am currently going through IVF and have had to call in sick just so that I can attend appointments at my clinic. My boss is not exactly one of those bosses who you can talk to. He sees supermarket staff as easily replaceable, so I can’t imagine him giving me time off to go and make a baby!”
Fortunately though, more and more companies are supporting their employees financially and emotionally when it comes to fertility and treatment. If you are unsure as to the benefits your employer offers, speak to your HR department.
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