Why Caregiving Is Reshaping Workplace Policies

As caregiving responsibilities surge and reshape the landscape of the American workplace, organizations face a pivotal moment to rethink and revitalize their approach to employee leave. Studies suggest that caregivers report experiencing adverse effects on their own health, with increasing mental and physical ailments.¹ Caregiving demands — combined with their impact on employee health — are increasingly affecting employers. In a 2023 IBI survey of over 400 employers, 53.4% reported losing employees due to caregiving responsibilities.² Presenteeism and attrition are costly endeavors for employers, and it’s no surprise that organizations are implementing company-sponsored leaves to better support their employees.

The Standard gives policyholders the option to integrate their company-sponsored leave policies directly into our Absence Management program, making it easier to administer and manage employee leaves. The two most common types of company-sponsored leaves that we encounter in our book of business fall under the category of "parental leave" or "non-FMLA leave." Non-FMLA leave typically applies to employees who are either ineligible for FMLA or have exhausted their FMLA and unpaid state leave entitlements, while parental leave offers absences for periods of bonding, adoption, foster care and/or pregnancy. Whether it’s a non-FMLA leave, a parental leave or a different flavor of leave altogether, The Standard can help take some of the administrative burden off your desk. We can support an organization's leave program by administering and tracking company-sponsored leaves on their behalf as part of our Absence Management program.

Best Practices for Leave Program Design

Outsourcing a company-sponsored leave works best when employers have built programs following industry best practices that have consistent and straightforward eligibility and review expectations. It’s important to evaluate your strategies for company-sponsored leave and implement best practices.

• Parental leave
  • Use inclusive language (e.g., birth parent and nonbirth parent).
  • Separate pregnancy recovery company-sponsored leaves from company-sponsored bonding leave to avoid perceived penalties.
  • Ensure consistency across all parental roles.
• Non-FMLA leaves
  • Mirror FMLA processes for documentation and timelines.
  • Apply eligibility and review criteria consistently.
  • Standardize internal review processes to avoid bias.

An Absence Management consultant is available to discuss best practices and walk through our administrative processes tailored to your organization’s leave policies. Contact your account manager if you have questions about your program or find a representative near you for questions or more information about leave resources.