Maternity Leave
Birthing parents may be eligible for six or eight weeks of maternity leave, based on the type of delivery. The standard short-term disability (STD) period is six (6) weeks for a natural birth or eight (8) weeks for a C-section.
If you are enrolled in voluntary STD or work in the states of NY, NJ, CA, RI, HI, or PR with state-provided disability, you will receive income replacement support from those benefits. Additionally, if you have been employed with the company for at least one (1) year, the company will top off your benefit during this period to 100% of your regular salary.
If you are not enrolled in STD coverage, you are eligible for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or Paid Parental Leave.
Paid Parental Leave
Whether your family is growing through birth, adoption, or surrogacy, SPARC provides up to four (4) weeks of Paid Parental Leave to bond with your new child. This benefit is available to all full-time employees for both birthing and non-birthing parents. It must run concurrently with federal, state, or company leaves of absence, such as FMLA.
Paid Parental Leave can be used in different ways, such as immediately following the Short-Term Disability recovery period of birth, after adoption, or within 12 months of birth, adoption, or placement of a child under foster care. See Section 600 – Benefits – Health & Wellness in the Policy & Procedures manual for complete information on how Paid Parental Leave can be used.
How to request leave
To request Maternity or Family Leave, contact Voya, SPARC’s disability and leave administrator, by phone at 888-973-3652 or online.
To request Paid Parental Leave, contact your benefits team representative at leaves@sparcgroup.com.
WINFertility
Full-time benefits-eligible employees and their families have access to WINFertility, which provides financial assistance to support growing your family through adoption, surrogacy, and fertility treatments. The benefit includes up to a $15,000 combined lifetime maximum.
The fertility program provides 24/7 access to Nurse Care Managers to guide you in selecting a high-quality provider that fits your unique fertility journey, with expertise in understanding complex information related to infertility causes, testing, and treatment option success rates and risks. Working together with your Anthem or WIN Premier network of doctors and pharmacies, WINFertility provides you with total support and coordination of care.
Adoption and Surrogacy
The adoption and/or surrogacy benefits help you with qualifying costs associated with these services. WINFertility can direct you to one of the several surrogacy agencies in the WIN network.
Each surrogacy agency offers a full range of services, including comprehensive screening of egg or sperm donors and surrogates. WINFertility provides personalized guidance and support throughout the process, including explanations of your benefits and potential costs, 24/7 emotional support or guidance, and collection, review, and authorization of claims.
Important note
You must contact WINFertility to enroll. Once enrollment is complete, you will receive a written notification from WINFertility confirming your eligibility.