Paternity

• Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have also become even more sophisticated, now including egg-freezing and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
• Access to publicly funded fertility treatment is not universal, and success rates are limited.
• This means many people globally are forced to pay privately – if they can afford it – often for multiple cycles of treatment.
• This is often driven by business logic: supporting staff through IVF and the like will help with recruitment, performance, retention and engagement.

Supporting different fertility journeys

• Apple and Facebook introduced fertility benefits (paid IVF and egg freezing) in 2014 as a weapon in the “war for talent”.
• Workplace benefits often centre on fertility policies and time off, flexibility and workplace adjustments.
• This puts fertility, alongside menstruation, bottom of the list of wellbeing supports aimed at certain employee groups.
• When policies are in place, they are not always inclusive of all employees and all fertility journeys.

A more equitable future

• To fully optimise the hope created by ARTs, governments around the world should expand publicly funded provisions as much as possible (bearing in mind other healthcare commitments) and ensure equitable access and care.
• Employment legislation should also protect workers from discrimination on the grounds of accessing ARTs and allow suitable time off.
• Malta legislates for 100 hours’ paid IVF leave (per cycle, up to three cycles) split between the “receiving person” and their partner.
• She has also contributed to resources (book chapters, surveys and guides) for the CIPD and is a CIPD member