The Power of Employee Benefits

To bring life into this world is nothing short of a miracle. And sometimes it takes medical help to bring that miracle to life, which isn’t usually affordable. According to Forbes, a single IVF cycle can cost between $15,000 and $30,000. 

IVF, a medical procedure in which an egg is fertilized by sperm in a test tube or elsewhere outside the body, is one of those solutions that has become a common alternative for individuals who are having trouble conceiving on their own.

For many, this is not a cost they can afford, which is why Alexander Moses was pleasantly surprised that his employer, Amazon, offered employee benefits that included assistance with the cost of conception.

Moses and his wife Giselle received a diagnosis that natural conception wasn’t possible, but thanks to Amazon, they were able to start building their family through Amazon’s partnership with Progyny. This benefit removed the financial barrier of IVF, allowing him and his wife to welcome their son Chase, now three, and their daughter Sophie, who is one year old.

“I am who I am today, this parent, this father, because of Amazon,” said Moses.

The Moses Family said Amazon’s support didn’t end there. According to the company’s website, its average total compensation is now over $23 per hour, with total compensation rising to more than $30 per hour when benefits are included. Those benefits cover day one health, vision, and dental insurance for regular full time employees; a reduced-cost health care plan for employee only coverage at $5 per week with $5 copays; a 401(k) with a company match for eligible individuals; up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave for birthing parents, including four weeks before the baby is born, and six weeks of fully paid leave to supporting parents and adoptive parents; prepaid college tuition for eligible individuals through Career Choice; and more.

When Chase was born prematurely and spent three months in the incubator, suffering a leg injury during birth, those benefits became essential. Moses was able to take paid time off to be with his family during that critical time.

“That he had all that time off allowed us to be with our child,” said Giselle. “That gave us the ability to start off being really great parents.”

Although Amazon is no longer partnered with Progyny, the partnership shows the impact of inclusive benefits, especially as infertility disproportionately affects Black families.

A Marriage of Love

Moses began working at Amazon in 2017 as an area manager at an Atlanta facility, and he now serves as a Learning Manager overseeing training processes across all departments, specifically onboarding and developing curriculum. When first he came to Amazon, Moses never thought that Amazon would be such an integral part of his love life.

Moses and Giselle met during college at Georgia State University in 2009. They stayed friends for six years before dating in 2015 and got married in September 2017. And just a few months before being married, the two moved to Atlanta, where Moses credits his wife for helping him get his position at Amazon.

Just like how Moses had to learn the world of corporate, he and his wife had to learn what it meant to be married. Together, they learned better communication skills and what it means to go through something difficult while not losing love for one another.

“We started leaning on each other and praying about it,” said Giselle.

Both their son and their daughter were conceived through IVF, all covered by Amazon’s employee benefits. The second round was less costly because they had frozen embryos from the first cycle, allowing them to avoid starting the process from scratch. Even with financial support, Giselle underwent C-sections for both pregnancies. Moses stayed optimistic throughout, not only for his wife, but also because he knew he had the backing of Amazon.

“I applaud Amazon,” said Moses.

Amazon is continuing to think of ways to better support its employees on and off the clock. 

This article is part of our monthly Amazon series highlighting the human beings behind the company. This news coverage is sponsored by Amazon.