Since the beginning of the pandemic, employers have been struggling to manage employee leave. A year and a half later, and it’s still proving to be a challenge.
Eight in 10 employers said COVID-19 raised senior leadership awareness of the importance of effective absence management, according to a study by insurance company Guardian Life. Which is why the company rolled out Guardian Absence Solutions, a service aimed at simplifying employee leave programs and supporting the return-to-work transition.
“At the heart of Guardian Absence Solutions is our focus on employee well-being, while providing employers the expert support needed to get employees back to work in a safe and timely manner via a digital-first solution that will ease the administrative burden of managing multiple types of employee leave,” Chris Smith, head of group benefits at Guardian Life, said in a press release.
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Guardian Life’s new platform will digitally manage both short and long-term disability, state and federal leaves as well as company paid and unpaid leaves, and will include integrated intake, a unified claims portal, consolidated billing and continuous monitoring of leave regulations to help ensure federal and state compliance.
The rollout comes at a time when paid leave has quickly become a major player in employee retention and attraction: three in four employers
Still, 82% of employees said keeping up with changes to federal and state leave laws is a challenge, the study showed. Companies who outsource their employee leave programs report better outcomes, such as an increase in return-to-work rates, improved regulatory compliance and reduced costs.
“Senior leaders have faced unprecedented challenges including shutdowns, managing employee absence and keeping up with new federal and state paid leave laws,” Smith said in a release. “Employers are seeking permanent solutions to address workforce challenges as a result of the pandemic.”
