XPO Logistics has announced an expanded benefits package for new parents and expectant mothers, offering free, supplemental care for such employees.
Through a partnership with Maven Clinic, a virtual network of healthcare practitioners, new parents and expectant mothers will be able to tap additional support services to complement their regular medical care. Through a mobile app, XPO employees and their families will have on-demand access to a customer network of 1,400 health practitioners across 20 specialties, including fertility, lactation, infant sleep, nutrition, mental health, among others.
Employees can consult with the practitioners over the phone, through video chats, or via private messaging. They can also sign up with a personal care coordinator who advocates for them throughout a pregnancy as well as postpartum and for return to work.
“This virtual clinic gives our employees 24/7, on-demand access to an array of the services that women and their families seek most during and after pregnancy,” said Josephine Berisha, senior vice president, compensation and benefits of XPO Logistics. “These services complement our existing suite of U.S.medical plans and are free to all employees. Expert digital healthcare is an important additional convenience for new parents, especially working mothers who are balancing the demands of home and work.”
Employees enrolled in an XPO medical plan can access these services at any time during a pregnancy and up to six months postpartum at no cost. These services extend to expectant parents during the surrogacy or adoption process and to women who experience a loss of pregnancy. Additionally, employees interested in fertility treatments or egg freezing can receive discounts on services and up to six months of support from specialists for certain services.
This latest announcement follows the company’s introduction of a new comprehensive pregnancy care accommodation policy and family leave policy early this year.
In December of last year, following reports of discrimination against pregnant employees at one of its warehouses in Memphis, Tenn., XPO launched an internal investigation into the allegations and took proactive steps to address the alleged issues. This included establishing a “set of progressive new policies and benefits based on what we believe is a better way to support pregnant women and their families in the workplace,” the company said in a statement.
The company found itself in hot water when several members of the U.S. House of Representatives called for an investigation into the workplace discrimination allegations following an investigative report in The New York Times. The Times report looked at questionable work conditions and accommodations for pregnant employees at the warehouse. The company subesquently changed its policy on pregnancy care, offering pregnant employees more accommodations and flexibility with job duties and additional paid family leave.
