Voluntary

As businesses downsize due to the coronavirus pandemic, employers want to provide workers with alternative health and well-being benefits.

The situation points to the increasing need for an on-demand earnings alternative.

“After my husband died, I couldn’t even tie my shoes,” says Emma Payne, founder of Grief Coach. “The fact that I was expected to go back to work was unthinkable.”

One in five people will experience a mental illness within a given year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, 70% never seek treatment.

Now is an “opportunity to advance the conversation around mental health and well-being,” says Aetna’s head of behavioral health.

The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated how incompatible the workday is with raising children.

“Inclusion programs for the low vision community are critical, though these programs are being challenged by the impact of COVID-19,” says Robert Vaters, CEO of eSight.

Workers who make at least 60 deliveries a week can apply for the family care stipend, according to a Postmates spokeswoman.

Employees who are still at work now have a vested interest in adding financial protections for themselves and their families — whether it comes through supplemental health coverage or additional welfare coverage.

Now, more than ever, employers need to be prioritizing benefits to fit the needs of these employees.