What counts as a journey-related absence?
A journey-related absence is any time you miss work because the surrogacy requires it. Under Private Label Surrogacy contracts, lost wages are reimbursed for you and for your partner. They are a reimbursement, separate from and in addition to base compensation. For context, a first-time PLS surrogate receives a typical total package of roughly $68,000 to $78,000, built on $60,000 base compensation (proposed). Lost wages are one of the items that move a package within that range.
Covered absences follow the medical calendar:
| Event | Who is covered | Typical days | Documentation required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical screening at the intended parents' clinic | Surrogate | 1 to 2 days, including travel | Appointment confirmation and pay records |
| Local monitoring appointments | Surrogate | Partial days, several visits before transfer | Appointment dates and pay records |
| Embryo transfer and rest days after it | Surrogate and partner | 2 to 4 days, including travel | Transfer confirmation and pay records for each of you |
| Doctor-ordered bed rest | Surrogate | As ordered | Written order from your physician and pay records |
| Delivery | Surrogate and partner | Hospital stay plus travel | Delivery confirmation and pay records for each of you |
| Postpartum recovery, vaginal birth | Surrogate | Typically six weeks | Delivery record and pay records |
| Postpartum recovery, C-section | Surrogate | Typically eight weeks | Delivery record and pay records |
The number of partner days covered and the postpartum weeks reimbursed are being confirmed with Nancy Block, RN.
If an absence is not on this list but the journey caused it, ask your case manager before you take the time. Your agreement is the final word on what is covered.
How are lost wages calculated?
Lost wages are calculated from your documented net pay per day, multiplied by the days you missed for a covered event.
Here is a simple example. If your recent pay stubs show net pay of $160 for a normal workday, and you miss three days for the transfer trip and rest, your lost wages claim is $480. If your partner misses two days for the same trip at $200 net per day, his or her claim is $400. Each is paid from escrow after you submit the records.
Net pay means what you take home after taxes and deductions, not your gross pay. Using net pay keeps the reimbursement equal to what you actually lost.
Reimbursements are typically paid within about two weeks of submission. Submit each claim soon after the absence, while the dates and records are fresh. A claim for three transfer days filed the following week is easy to check. A year of absences filed after delivery is not, and it leaves you short of money during the months you missed work.
Lost wages are not a bonus and not a substitute for base compensation. They put back what the journey took out of your paycheck, so that being a surrogate does not cost your household income.
What documentation do you submit?
Lost wages are paid from escrow after you submit the dates you missed and proof of what you would have earned. A typical claim includes:
- The dates and reason. Which days you missed and which event caused it.
- Proof of pay. Recent pay stubs that show your net pay, or tax returns if you are self-employed.
- Proof of the event. An appointment confirmation, a transfer record, a written bed-rest order or a delivery record.
Your case manager helps you put the claim together. Natalie Gaudio-Fricano and Jenni Symons, who carry the active PLS matches, have both been surrogates and have filed these claims themselves. The independent escrow agent reviews the claim against your agreement and pays it. PLS never holds the money.
Partner lost wages: what is covered
Your partner's lost wages are reimbursed for the transfer trip and for delivery, under PLS contracts. These are the two events where a partner most often travels with you or needs to be home with your children.
The calculation is the same: documented net pay per day, multiplied by the days missed. Your partner submits his or her own pay records. The number of partner days covered for each event is being confirmed with Nancy.
If your partner cannot travel, a companion may go with you instead. Travel costs for a companion are set in your agreement.
Lost wages during bed rest and postpartum recovery
Bed rest and recovery are the two absences most likely to be long, and the two most worth understanding before you sign.
Bed rest. If your physician orders bed rest, lost wages are reimbursed for the days ordered. You need a written order. Housekeeping support of $90 per week starts at 32 weeks regardless of bed rest, so in late pregnancy the two can run together. See bed rest compensation.
Postpartum recovery. Recovery is typically reimbursed for six weeks after a vaginal birth and eight weeks after a C-section. A C-section means a longer recovery, and the agreement accounts for that. See C-section compensation.
Self-employed and hourly surrogates
Lost wages work for every kind of job, but the records differ.
- Self-employed. Your daily earnings are worked out from your recent tax returns, since you do not have pay stubs.
- Hourly. Recent pay stubs show your hourly rate and usual hours. If your hours vary, several months of stubs give a fair average.
- Paid time off. Paid time off you choose to use is not reimbursed twice, because you were paid for those days. Some contracts reimburse PTO used, so check yours; PLS's standard treatment of PTO is being confirmed with Nancy.
If you are not working outside the home, you do not have lost wages to claim, but the allowances, childcare reimbursement and travel costs still apply. See benefits and allowances.
Why lost wages are capped in some contracts
Many surrogacy contracts set a cap on lost wages, or a maximum number of weeks. The reason is practical. The intended parents fund the escrow account before you start medications, and they need to fund it for a known amount. An open-ended lost wages line makes that impossible.
A cap is not a reason for concern if it is set realistically. Your own attorney, paid by the intended parents through escrow, will negotiate the figure with your actual job and pay in mind. Bring your pay records to that conversation, and ask what happens if bed rest or recovery runs longer than planned. The standard PLS lost wages cap is being confirmed with Nancy.
For the complete package, see the surrogate compensation page.
Sources
- Private Label Surrogacy compensation schedule and contract practice, pending confirmation by Nancy Block, RN.