Tech giants Apple and Facebook have both offered to help women employees focus on their careers for longer by offering to pay to have their eggs frozen, according to Techcrunch.com.
Facebook covers up to $US20k to have the eggs frozen in storage and Apple is said to be offering a similar perk in January 2015.
Adapt to adopt
In addition to the egg storage offer, Apple also provides an “adoption assistance” programme which reimburses employees the legal costs should they choose to adopt.
The offers have met with some resistance: instead of feeling empowered, some employees and critics have suggested that the move is controlling and invasive. Although it is designed to reduce workplace discrimination, it has been interpreted as having the opposite effect.
Those in favour of the offer have said that it does allow women the freedom to choose at what stage in their lives they’ll have children in addition to having a career.
More on eggs and fertility
Eggs and careers
Egg donation: fact vs. fiction
Frozen eggs are best
How “sticky” eggs capture sperm
15 eggs for one healthy baby
Fresh vs. frozen
The freezing of eggs for the purposes of delayed fertility is no guarantee that a pregnancy will result from subsequent procedures.
What do you think? Is this egg storage offer from companies too much interference in the personal lives of employees or a genuine attempt at empowering women?
Facebook covers up to $US20k to have the eggs frozen in storage and Apple is said to be offering a similar perk in January 2015.
Adapt to adopt
In addition to the egg storage offer, Apple also provides an “adoption assistance” programme which reimburses employees the legal costs should they choose to adopt.
The offers have met with some resistance: instead of feeling empowered, some employees and critics have suggested that the move is controlling and invasive. Although it is designed to reduce workplace discrimination, it has been interpreted as having the opposite effect.
Those in favour of the offer have said that it does allow women the freedom to choose at what stage in their lives they’ll have children in addition to having a career.
More on eggs and fertility
Eggs and careers
Egg donation: fact vs. fiction
Frozen eggs are best
How “sticky” eggs capture sperm
15 eggs for one healthy baby
Fresh vs. frozen
The freezing of eggs for the purposes of delayed fertility is no guarantee that a pregnancy will result from subsequent procedures.
What do you think? Is this egg storage offer from companies too much interference in the personal lives of employees or a genuine attempt at empowering women?