Survey: 70% Allow Sick Leave for Family Illness, But Few Offer Paid Leave

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR
Editor, HR Daily Advisor

Additional Findings:

• Over half of all companies (56%) offer child care assistance to employees, most commonly flex time or leaves of absence.
• However, few companies offer paid leave (14%) or unpaid leave (29%) for childcare, conducted with readers of the HR Daily Advisor.
• 20% of companies offer paid leave (excluding sick leave) for spouse care.
• However, almost 40% offer unpaid leave for this purpose.
• Over 60% of companies offer elder care responsibility assistance to employees, typically leaves of absence, flextime and information referrals.
• However, just 12% offer paid leave and 28% offer unpaid leave for elder care.
• In around 60% of companies, company-funded benefits continue through unpaid leaves. In 55% of companies, seniority accrues during unpaid leaves.

The survey, conducted in July/August 2011, received 902 responses, of which just under 80% originated from companies with fewer than 500 employees. Respondents represented a typical mix of company sizes and industries.

Thanks to all who participated in the survey.

[For a complete survey report including breakdowns by company size, industry, and geographic location, go here.]

Future survey topics include:

• Domestic partnership benefits
• Incentive compensation
• 401(k)
• Healthcare

Organization Covered by The Federal FMLA?

	Number	Percent
Yes	758	84%
No	122	14%
Unsure	20	2%

Number of Weeks of Paid Leave (excl. Sick Leave) Offered for Spouse Care

Number of weeks	Number respondents	Percentage
None	654	80%
< 1 week	16	2%
1-4 weeks	77	9%
5-8 weeks	12	2%
9-11 weeks	1	0%
12 weeks +	59	7%

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Number of Weeks of Unpaid Leave (excl. FMLA Leave) Offered for Spouse Care

Number of weeks	Number respondents	Percentage
None	516	63%
< 1 week	15	2%
1-4 weeks	87	11%
5-8 weeks	27	3%
9-11 weeks	3	0%
12 weeks +	167	21%

Child Care Responsibility Assistance Offered to Employees*

	Number	Percent
On-site child care facilities	30	4%
Payment of child care costs directly to an outside facility	7	1%
Full/part reimbursement	36	5%
Flextime	280	36%
Leaves of absence	268	35%
Job sharing	43	6%
Do not offer	343	44%

Paid Leave Weeks (excl. Sick Leave) Offered for Child Care

Number of weeks	Number respondents	Percentage
None	678	86%
< 1 week	15	2%
1-4 weeks	61	8%
5-8 weeks	13	2%
9-11 weeks	1	0%
12 weeks +	19	3%

Unpaid Leave Weeks (excl. FMLA Leave) Offered for Child Care

Number of weeks	Number respondents	Percentage
None	562	71%
< 1 week	11	1%
1-4 weeks	82	10%
5-8 weeks	25	3%
9-11 weeks	2	0%
12 weeks +	105	13%

Elder Care Responsibility Assistance Offered to Employees*

	Number	Percent
Info. referrals	238	31%
Full/part reimbursement	5	1%
Flextime	242	32%
Leaves of absence	315	41%
Job sharing	32	4%
Do not offer	278	37%

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*More than one type of assistance could be specified.

Paid Leave Weeks (excl. Sick Leave) Offered for Elder Care

Number of weeks	Number respondents	Percentage
None	679	88%
< 1 week	13	2%
1-4 weeks	51	7%
5-8 weeks	10	1%
9-11 weeks	0	0%
12 weeks +	18	2%

Unpaid Leave Weeks (excl. FMLA Leave) Offered for Elder Care

Number of weeks	Number respondents	Percentage
None	553	72%
< 1 week	12	2%
1-4 weeks	75	10%
5-8 weeks	23	3%
9-11 weeks	2	0%
12 weeks +	106	14%

Do Company-Funded Benefits Continue During Unpaid Leaves? (exc. FMLA Leave)

	Number	Percent
Yes	452	59%
No	311	41%

Does Seniority Accrue During Unpaid Leaves? (excl. FMLA Leave)

	Number	Percent
Yes	416	55%
No	341	45%

Employees Able to Use Sick Leave to Care for a Sick Spouse

	Number	Percent
Yes	570	75%
No	192	25%

Employees Able to Use Sick Leave to Care for a Sick Child

	Number	Percent
Yes	581	76%
No	180	24%

Employees Able to Use Sick Leave to Care for a Sick Parent

	Number	Percent
Yes	545	72%
No	216	28%

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