A 33-year-old woman from Michigan, who is struggling to get pregnant, has chosen to work a part-time job at Starbucks to avail of the company's generous fertility benefits. Autumn Lucy, who also runs a small business, needs to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) following a series of miscarriages, but she and her husband, Anna, didn't have enough money for the procedure.
According to reports, the couple needed at least $30,000 for the IVF, but their insurance won't cover the expenses. Thus, Lucy decided to apply at Starbucks and work 20-hours a week so she could receive fertility benefits.
From the onset, Lucy chose the top benefits package to ensure that she and her husband could fulfill their baby dreams.
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She Earns $0 From Starbucks
Because of the fertility benefits plan she chose, Lucy does not get to take home anything from her Starbuck wages. Her deductibles are automatically taken out of her weekly paycheck, but she is assured coverage of the high cost of her benefits once this kicks in.
Lucy will need to shell out only a small amount of money for her expensive IVF treatments. However, she will not have enough for her take-home pay.
In the summer of 2021, Lucy posted a viral video on TikTok to announce her first day of work at Starbucks. By January 2022, Lucy told Insider that she was finally referred to a fertility clinic to avail of the package she chose.
@autumnwantsababy Starbucks pays for IVF for PART TIME EMPLOYEES. #tryingforababy #infertility #ivf #ivfwarrior #ttc #ttcjourney ♬ original sound - Autumn Lucy
"As of January, I no longer have any take-home pay because I chose the top benefits package," Lucy explained. "[This will] allow me to move forward with my dream of starting a family."
Her Starbucks benefits have also afforded her to drop the private insurance that was costing her and Anna $650 a month. Lucy was also happy to reveal that she finished her egg retrieval procedure in February, and she is scheduled for a transfer by April.
The Starbucks Fertility Package
In 2017, Starbucks announced that they would cover fertility treatments for all employees, including baristas who work part-time. The company initially offered $15,000 of the cost of IVF treatments, but the fertility benefits have been bumped up to $25,000 plus $10,000 for prescription medications as of 2021.
Out of pocket payments for the employees will depend on their state, the chosen plan, and the doctor. Employees who choose a plan with a cheaper monthly premium will need to pay a higher deductible once their benefits kick off.
New York mom Julia Ceriello has also availed of Starbuck's offer, and she welcomed her IVF baby, Alina, in late 2019 with her husband, Alberto Ceriello. Julia also picked the top plan and did not receive a paycheck when her IVF health benefits started. The pair is among the hundreds of successful "Starbucks baby" journeys across the company in the U.S. that will soon include Lucy's family.
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