How The Hartford is Paving the Way for Working Parents

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, parents made up roughly a third of the U.S. civilian labor force in 2018. Furthermore, 71.5% of all women with children under the age of 18 are working or looking for work. In the case of married couples with children, 63% report that both parents work. With so many parents in the workforce, it is important for employers to create a culture that supports working families.

Becoming a parent is an exciting time, but for many, the journey to parenthood can also be challenging. For new parents, especially, juggling the demands of home and work can be difficult. Between managing deadlines at work, keeping up with their children’s school schedules and finding time for themselves occasionally, working parents truly have a lot on their plates. These challenges affect all working families - moms and dads, birth parents, and adoptive parents. 

To support the needs of their employees on their path to parenthood and as working parents, The Hartford expanded their benefits in 2020 — doubling paid parental leave and reimbursement under the adoption expense benefit and increasing fertility coverage by 150%. They are also offering Maven Family Benefits, a modern family benefit supporting every path to parenthood.

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The Hartford and Fairygodboss teamed up to interview Kate Ryder, who founded Maven in 2014, to address the gap in healthcare for women and families.  

How does Maven help The Hartford’s employees?

Our mission is to help women and new or aspiring parents thrive in their careers as they go through one of the biggest medical and life-changing experiences - starting and growing a family. Maven’s platform offers three core elements of quality healthcare: dedicated Care Advocates who support and guide members throughout their experience; on-demand access via video chat or messaging to the largest custom network of women’s and family health providers covering over 20 specialties including emotional health, career coaching, fertility, postpartum recovery and nutrition; and fun, interactive quizzes, content and resources.  

How is partnership between Maven and The Hartford helping to support their employees in the parenting journey?

Pathways to parenthood have become diverse, and gaps in care and support are becoming more apparent at nearly every stage of the journey. Through Maven, The Hartford is helping close those gaps by supporting employees and their partners in the different journeys to parenthood—whether that be through pregnancy, fertility, egg freezing, adoption, or surrogacy or loss. No matter your gender, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity, Maven will support your unique journey. Maven’s network of practitioners are racially diverse, speak over 30 languages and specialize in women’s and LGBTQI health. Maven’s Care Advocates can help with anything from benefits navigation to understanding which in-person providers to see. Delivering this level of personalized care during one of the most transformative times in life is an important way a company can illustrate its commitment to diversity and create an inclusive culture.

 Do you have any advice for new parents at The Hartford?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and be kind to yourself! I tend to use the old cliché “it takes a village.” As a working parent, it is a constant juggle between balancing work and home. Know that you are not alone, please use Maven to help you navigate through those challenging times. 

 Are there additional benefits The Hartford’s employees will experience as a result from working with Maven?

By building a healthcare infrastructure to better support families in the workplace, The Hartford is investing in the health and well-being of their employees. I’m constantly inspired by the stories I hear about the impact Maven can have, like the Maven OB-GYN who coached an anxious pregnant patient  or the Maven career coach who helped a new parent transition back to work or the Maven infertility specialist who counseled a couple on alternate pathways to parenthood. These are stories of empowerment — of putting women, families, and all patients in the driver’s seat of their own healthcare.

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