Maine has become the sixth state in the nation to pass legislation allowing adult adoptees to access their original birth certificates. LD 10984 will become law on the 1st of January 2009.

For information on other states, and countries, where adoptees have rights to their birth information, see the OBC for Me site.

As mentioned yesterday on the International Adoption Blog, the fee increases for international adoption processes ... visas, C of Cs, and such ... goes into effect on the 30th of July. Just a bit over a month left to take advantage of lower costs for those in the process.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has been named the 2007 Best Adoption Employer in British Columbia. The Adoptive Families Association of BC has awarded the company the Adoption in Action Award for this year, saying that, "Besides adoption-friendly family leave and flexible work arrangement policies, PricewaterhouseCoopers offers adoption assistance which reimburses employees with up to $10,000 per child to help with the costs of adoption."

Campbell Lund, Senior Manager Human Capital with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Vancouver says, "Our adoption programs are not just about financial reimbursement. They are also about creating an inclusive and supportive environment that recognizes the unique needs of our people wishing to adopt.

We recognize that one size does not fit all and flexibility is key." The company enables employees to take time off from work to adopt and bond with their children and provides resources and tools to help employees with adopting and parenting.

How refreshing!

Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd is spending some of his time defending the Family and Medical Leave Act, a bill he wrote.

Apparently, some businesses are complaining that too many employees taking time off is hurting business.

A report due to be made public this week says that the act works, for the most part, and has given, "the 76-million eligible workers leave for the birth or adoption of a child or to take care of family members with serious health conditions."

Perhaps PricewaterhouseCoopers would have some advice?

The long fight over custody of Anna Mae He is over.

The US Supreme Court has refused without comment to hear the case, so the Tennessee Supreme Court ruling that Anna Mae, now eight-years-old, be removed from the foster family that have had the child from the age of 10 months and returned to her parents.