The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is compiling its annual list of companies across the United States that provide adoption benefits. The list will be announced in November during National Adoption Month, and will be published in the November 10, 2014, issue of Bloomberg Businessweek.
All companies with adoption benefits are encouraged to apply by completing a brief survey at adoptionfriendlyworkplace.org. “We want to hear from companies large and small, for profit and nonprofit, on how and why they provide adoption benefits to their employees,” said Rita Soronen, president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “We hope to surpass the number of entries last year and celebrate the growing number of businesses around the country that provide adoption benefits for their employees. All companies that provide adoption benefits deserve to be recognized.” The list will note the 100 companies with the best adoption benefits—and for the first time, an honorable mention list will be published on the Foundation’s website. Survey participation closes Thursday, May 22.
Ranking is determined by an analysis of a company’s adoption benefits, including the maximum amount of financial reimbursement and paid leave for families who adopt. In November, the Foundation will announce America’s top 100 adoption-friendly employers, the top 10 by size, the leaders in each industry and honorable mentions of all companies who have filled out the survey indicating that they provide adoption benefits.
“Adoption benefits provided by employers can offer a significant, cost-effective benefit to its employees, while, at the same time, making a huge impact on the lives of children and families across the country,” Soronen said. “There are more than 100,000 children in the US waiting to be adopted from foster care We applaud all companies who take the measures to support families who step forward to adopt.”
Companies can become more adoption-friendly by doing the following:
- Offer flexible time off and work schedules
- Connect employees by creating an internal adoption network
- Promote the cause of adoption
- Educate and inform employees about the adoption process
- Provide post-adoption resources
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity, created by Wendy’s® founder Dave Thomas and dedicated to finding permanent homes for children in foster care systems in the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org.
If your organization does not currently offer adoption benefits and is interested in doing so, visit adoptionfriendlyworkplace.org for a free kit with information and tools to implement adoption-friendly workplace policies.
