Israeli tech giant to pay full alternative parenting costs for employees

NVIDIA Israel, which develops AI chips and platforms, announced on Wednesday that they will fund all costs for any employees seeking alternative parenting methods.

Baby dolls placed in front of the Jabotinsky House in Tel Aviv in protest of the state's opposition to surrogacy law, December 19, 2018 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Baby dolls placed in front of the Jabotinsky House in Tel Aviv in protest of the state's opposition to surrogacy law, December 19, 2018
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Technology giant NVIDIA Israel has announced that it will financially support alternative parenting procedures, including surrogacy and adoption, for all employees regardless of gender, sexual orientation or marital status. 
The company, which develops artificial intelligence chips and platforms for a variety of industries and markets, announced on Wednesday that it will fund, without limit, any costs for surrogacy proceedings for any of their 2,500 employees who require it. 
It will also financially support any employees who wish to pursue alternative parenting methods such as adoption.
In July 2018, an amendment was made to the Surrogacy Act that allowed unmarried women to give birth through a surrogate, so long as it was medically necessary. The amendment was supposed to allow men from the gay community to pursue surrogacy, but it was withdrawn after public outcry.
Following the cancellation of the amendment, NVIDIA Israel announced a grant of NIS 60,000 and an extra month of maternity leave for any employee undergoing the surrogacy process. Three years later, it is expanding the program, removing the financial limits and financing the expensive procedure in its entirety. 
"The right to parenthood is a basic one and we are happy to announce this process especially now, during Pride month," said head of NVIDIA Israel's HR department Gideon Rosenberg. "I call on more companies in the Israeli economy to take similar steps."