UK-based firm's managing partner says she wants to see 'happy and healthy' employees
Osbornes Law, based in London, has announced its initiative to offer free fertility testing to all employees and their partners. Osbornes Law claims to be the first law firm to provide such a service.
This new initiative is a part of the firm’s health benefits program, said a news release of the Law Society Gazette.
The at-home hormone test, which is clinically validated, includes an online assessment to check ovarian reserve or egg count and screens for up to 18 reproductive health conditions, including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Osbornes Law is also offering to cover specialist consultations for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause, the news release added.
The initiative marks a significant step in addressing reproductive health in the workplace and reflects a growing trend toward comprehensive employee wellness programs.
Impact of fertility issues
Jo Wescott, Osbornes Law’s newly appointed managing partner and its first female leader, introduced the initiative, the news release said. As a mother of two, she said that she was motivated to implement the program after seeing close friends struggle with fertility issues.
“I was in my mid-late 30s when I had my children, which in medical terms is classed as geriatric,” said Wescott in the news release. While she experienced no fertility issues, she knew about others who were not as fortunate, she explained.
“People often think it won’t happen to them and when it does, it’s absolutely devastating,” said Wescott in the news release. “It changes relationships and I have seen this both personally and professionally.”
Wescott, a partner in the firm’s family department, focuses on divorce and financial matters. She is experienced in all areas of family law, including financial issues about divorce or separation, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, and domestic and international children disputes such as child arrangements and relocation cases, stated her biography on the firm’s website.
“As managing partner it’s my job to support our employees, almost three-quarters of whom are women,” she said in the news release of the Law Society Gazette. “I want people to be happy and healthy when they come to work, and this is one small way to help maintain that.”
The Law Society Gazette is a publication of the Law Society of England and Wales.
