Empathy, a leading technology company transforming how the world plans for and manages life’s toughest moments, and MetLife, a trusted provider of disability and leave management services, are joining forces to launch Leave Support, an innovative digital platform designed to guide employees through the range of emotional and practical challenges of taking a leave of absence from work.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 2.6 million employees take a leave of absence from work any given week due to illness or injury. Navigating the complexities of leave, from filing claims to managing physical and mental healing, can be challenging, and without adequate support, can result in longer recovery times and more missed workdays.
Recognizing these challenges, Empathy’s launch of Leave Support with MetLife will deliver an intuitive and engaging experience that helps guide employees through the entire leave process, including return-to-work.
Leave Support will complement MetLife’s My Leave Navigator solution, which empowers employees with unique leave planning tools, guidance, education and updates throughout their leave journey. Leave Support is designed to help employees establish daily routines and structure, reduce stress and increase well-being, streamline claim processing and facilitate return-to-work planning, and is supported by a dedicated Care Team.
“Empathy is on a mission to build a more resilient society by helping people navigate life’s hardest moments, and we are proud to partner with MetLife to support millions of employees through the difficulties that come with taking time away from work whether due to a disability or other leaves of absence,” said Ron Gura, Co-Founder & CEO of Empathy. “Leave Support broadens our platform’s impact, giving employees the resources they need to return to work stronger and more confident.”
According to SHRM, 75% of U.S. organizations report that leaves of absence have a moderate to large impact on their organizations’ productivity and revenue. Supporting employees on leave builds resilience and enables smoother, lasting return-to-work transitions that promote better workplace outcomes.
“MetLife has created best-in-class disability and leave management offerings for employers and their employees. Expanding our collaboration with Empathy through Leave Support and further differentiating our capabilities is a meaningful step in MetLife’s commitment to enhance the way we provide support,” said Juliane Kowalski, Senior Vice President, Life and Disability at MetLife. “Together, we continue to deliver on that mission, to not only help employees navigate leave and return to work but also support business outcomes.”
Leave Support will be available exclusively through MetLife starting later this year, building on an existing relationship between MetLife and Empathy, who in 2022 announced the launch of Loss Support, which provides award-winning, comprehensive care for those managing loss. Leave Support is Empathy’s first expansion into the disability and absence space and brings the same level of best-in-class support of its flagship product, so those on leave can emerge stronger.
For more information about Leave Support, visit www.empathy.com/solutions/leave-support.
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