Michael adopted his two oldest children at ages six and four, followed by their sister several years later at just three months old. Thanks to Farmers Insurance’s benefits, he was able to take time off to bond with his new family.
“Navigating work and life while adjusting to new parenthood is challenging for any parent, and the adoption process can present unique circumstances for adoptive families,” Michael reflects. “We found that adopting older children required consistency to gain trust and build comfort with their new surroundings.”
Now six, 13 and 14 years old, the siblings are thriving together in a permanent, loving home.
Michael feels fortunate to work for an organization that supports employees who chose to build their families through adoption.
“Farmers has offered adoption benefits for more than a decade. After my experience as an adoptive parent, I became an advocate to strengthen those benefits,” says Michael.
Farmers has since expanded its paid parental leave policy with a gender-inclusive benefit that provides ten weeks of paid leave for parents to care for and bond with a new child.
“At Farmers, we have a strong and clear commitment to inclusion by supporting working parents — and helping them navigate work and life in the transformative days of caring for a new baby or child,” says Chief Administrative Officer Deb Aldredge.
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption celebrates organizations, like Farmers Insurance, for raising the bar with their adoption benefits to attract, support and retain employees. As our founder Dave Thomas, who was adopted, always said, “It’s the right thing to do.”
Farmers Insurance was recognized on the Foundation’s 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list in 2020, along with a diverse group of organizations representing 23 industries. View the list.
