“When the Human Resources team came to me and said we need to do something different because our employees say they need more time to help their families, I could certainly relate,” said Mary Schmidt, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer.

Mary says her experiences as a wife, mom and daughter helped shape her perspective.

“Almost 30 years ago, when I had my first baby, there wasn’t a lot of time off for new moms,” remembers Mary. “I asked my boss for unpaid leave so I could have a few more weeks at home. My husband and I had to really budget so we could afford for me to be with her.”

Enhanced Parental Leave

Starting in October, all parents – birthing, non-birthing, adoptive – will receive six weeks of paid Parental Leave.  Parental Leave is in addition to the six or eight weeks of paid Short Term Disability that eligible birthing moms receive. All parents also have the option to take four more weeks unpaid to be used within one year of the birth or adoption.

State Farm also doubled the adoption reimbursement benefit for employees.

“Adoption is near and dear to my heart. My younger brother and sister-in-law just adopted a beautiful baby girl. I may be her aunt, but I see her as my grandbaby…until my kids help me out there,” Mary added with a laugh.

Life Leave for Health Concerns

But it’s not just parents who need help. Sometimes, so do their kids. Last year, Mary and her brothers put their mom in a memory care facility.

“Family comes first, for all of us,” Mary emphasized. “I’m still struggling with my mom’s dementia diagnosis. Instead of being her daughter, I have become a caregiver. It’s stressful, sometimes heart-breaking and unfortunately not unique. I know many other employees are going through something similar and need support.”

Starting Jan. 1, in addition to the State Farm paid time off (PTO) plan, employees will also have a new Life Leave benefit. This allows employees to take up to 40 hours annually for their own or a family member’s health condition. Think sick kids or ailing parents. Beginning next year, employees like Mary can use Life Leave to care for their sick parent or attend medical appointments.

“It just so happens I can personally relate to a lot of the benefit changes this year,” Mary said. “But we are constantly seeking employee input so we can respond to what people need in today’s world.”

Enjoy Celebration Leave

And sometimes what we need is a little celebration. In 2020, employees will also receive Celebration Leave. This leave provides one paid day off work each calendar year for employees to enjoy, celebrate, or recognize an event important to them.

“It could be to celebrate your birthday, Halloween, or in my case, another great New Year’s Eve with my family,” Mary said.

Life is full of celebrations and challenges, the State Farm benefit package is meant to support employees through it all. The power of our benefits is real!

Several decades ago, Stephanie Hayhurst-Hall was one of them.

“I grew up knowing I was adopted and I always wanted to give back,” says the Clarksburg, W.Va., State Farm^® agent.

Stephanie was adopted from the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia. Six years ago, she and her husband, Jason Hall, decided to become foster parents through the same organization. The couple and their 5-year-old son, Carson, opened their home to two children.

“The adoption process can be emotionally taxing,” Stephanie says. “I can say that because I was adopted. You have to figure out how to deal with that your whole life. And there were times I didn’t feel good about it.”

A 7-month-old boy spent a bit of time with the family before permanently moving in with his biological grandparents. An 18-month-old girl found her forever home.

“We still have a relationship with the little boy and his grandparents. His grandmother sends us pictures so we get to see him grow up. It was so rewarding to help him reunite with his grandparents and still be a part of his life,” Stephanie says.

Stephanie and Jason got the call about their now daughter, Sophia, about two months after reuniting their first foster child with his grandparents. Their home is a foster to adoption home, which means any child they receive could potentially lead to an adoption.

“When you foster to adopt, you get a call out of the blue and they provide you with very minimal information about the child. You just have to follow your heart and take a chance,” she says. “The legal process to determine if the parents’ rights will be terminated to the adoption process took almost two years.”

Stephanie was open with her son about the adoption process and has been honest with her now 5-year-old daughter about her own experience.

“My parents were always open with me. When I was 5, I started asking questions and they answered them honestly. My children deserve the same honesty,” she says.

“It took several months to become a certified foster parent and Carson went through everything with us. We wanted him to understand that many children don’t have parents, shelter, clothes or toys. We wanted him to be empathetic with the children he goes to school with who may not have the things he has,” Stephanie says.

“As I’ve gotten older, I now realize what a gift adoption was, and I hope my daughter feels that way, too.”

The Hall family just moved to a new home and are feeling settled enough to begin the process of fostering again to adopt another child.

“We’re at a place where we want to welcome another child. We have the space in our new home and will be able to help a child who will be a good fit for our family.

“Adoption is a wonderful thing, but it often comes from a loss. A lot of children experience trauma, and adoption is where the healing can begin.”

Until fate intervened.

The beagle’s name was Jake. And it just so happens that the media and PR coordinator for Kentucky’s largest humane society is a huge fan of the Jake from State Farm^® commercials.

When an employee at the Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville sent her Jake’s photo, Megan Decker knew just what to do.

“All he needed was a little extra attention to be noticed. I immediately thought of Jake at State Farm,” Megan says. “So I posted his photo on Twitter and tagged State Farm.”

Her tweet − "Learn more about Jake" − got results.

Jordan Knoup, a Public Affairs specialist, was monitoring the company’s social media posts when she saw Megan’s Tweet about their Jake on the official Jake at State Farm Twitter page.

A rescue dog fan herself, Jordan asked her Public Affairs contacts to see if there was a way to help.

“I thought we may be able to sponsor his adoption fee as a goodwill gesture.”

Public Affairs Specialists Judy McConkey and Heather Paul worked with Jordan to expedite the donation to the humane society. When the request was approved, the humane society was notified that State Farm would indeed sponsor Jake, covering his adoption fee and a few extra blankets and toys for his new family.

Judy wrote on the Humane Society’s Twitter page in response: "Jake from @StateFarm is #heretohelp! We will cover your adoption fees and help you find a forever home. You really are handsome with your red collar and brown markings. It almost looks like you are wearing khakis!"

Jake, now adopted, is settling in to his new home thanks to the efforts of a few animal lovers and a popular commercial.

Megan says corporate sponsorships like this one help them pull dogs from rural shelters that have little or no adoption programs.

“We have a great team in place that works with dogs like Jake from these shelters to get them ready for adoption as soon as possible,” Megan says. “We do lots of grant writing and outreach to save as many animals as we can. I’m so happy this worked out for Jake and his new family.”