When employees feel valued, their morale stays high, and the potential for burnout decreases dramatically. That is the single most important reason you should give your employees a generous amount of medical leave.
Lenient employee leave policies are a building block of thriving businesses. When employees feel valued, their morale stays high, and the potential for burnout decreases dramatically. That is the single most important reason you should give your employees a generous amount of medical leave. Having sufficient paid time off to recover from a critical illness or other health issues is an unexpected perk that could attract top-flight talent to your company.
A Brief Definition of Sick Leave
First of all, let’s discuss what “sick leave” is supposed to mean. It generally falls into one of two categories: paid or unpaid. Paid sick leave is a much more attractive prospect, especially when it comes to employee compensation. It’s interesting to note that no federal laws dictating this allowance exist. However, multiple states across the country, including Maryland, call for employers to offer such benefits. The other states are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Washington, D.C, belongs to this cohort as well.
FMLA: The Family and Medical Leave Act
Paid sick days can be assigned and earned. Having a set number in mind provides a minimum threshold for how much time your employees can take off to focus on rest and recovery – both physically and mentally. Employees can use vacation days for this purpose, but what happens if a health-related emergency affects an employee’s loved one? Many workers are hesitant to exercise their rights granted to them under the FMLA. However, they needn’t worry; they have a maximum of 12 weeks to use to get better. While minor illnesses such as the flu or the common cold are ineligible for such coverage, more serious conditions are addressed. Some example scenarios include the following:
- Pregnancy/prenatal care;
- Chronic health conditions (e.g., asthma and diabetes);
- Long-term conditions that have severe impacts on an employee’s well-being, such as Alzheimer’s or a stroke;
- Treatments and recovery periods could take weeks instead of days. Such a situation will arise if the employee needs to undergo dialysis or chemotherapy
Suppose your company has more than fifty employees. As such, the FMLA-related time-off becomes a legal obligation.
Expanding Agile Telework Options
Telework (also known as working remotely for working from home) has become a necessary adaptation to the still-ongoing pandemic. Such a seismic philosophical shift is undoubtedly a significant aspect of the workplace in the future. Bear that in mind as you craft policies that allow your workers to feel better. That way, they won’t worry about being “on the clock” even when they aren’t physically sitting in the home office.
A Customer Testimonial
Michelle Krannebitter, an employee of the Baltimore County government, needed our help. Her insurance claim turned out to be smooth sailing, as she “worked with William Fedo who has been so helpful in assisting me with filing my Claim. He was available to answer my questions and followed through with updates on where My claim process was. The process was definitely made easier with his guidance.” Bravo, Will. Another job well done!
Get Your Voluntary, Supplemental, and Health Insurance Policies with the MWE Partnership!
Are you a business looking to provide your employees with essential voluntary benefits? If so, look no further than The MWE Partnership. When you choose The MWE Partnership, you get experienced service and comprehensive voluntary benefit options that will meet all your employees’ needs. With over 17 years of experience, The MWE Partnership is your one-stop-shop for all your supplemental benefit needs. If you are interested in finding out how The MWE Partnership can help your business, contact us today! We encourage you to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for all the latest voluntary benefit news!