Employers continue to invest in leave programs

List of website locations and languages available in Americas
Location	Languages Available
Argentina	Spanish
Bermuda	English
Brazil	Portuguese
Canada	English French
Chile	Spanish
Colombia	Spanish
Costa Rica	Spanish
El Salvador	Spanish
Guatemala	Spanish
Honduras	Spanish
Mexico	Spanish
Nicaragua	Spanish
Panama	Spanish
Peru	Spanish
United States	English
Venezuela	Spanish

List of website locations and languages available in Asia-Pacific
Location	Languages Available
Australia	English
China	Simplified Chinese
Hong Kong (China, SAR)	English
India	English
Indonesia	English
Japan	Japanese
Korea	Korean
Malaysia	English
New Zealand	English
Philippines	English
Singapore	English
Taiwan	Traditional Chinese
Thailand	English Thai
Vietnam	English Vietnamese

List of website locations and languages available in Europe
Location	Languages Available
Austria	German
Belgium	English French Flemish
Croatia	English Croatian
Czech Republic	English Czech
Denmark	Danish
Finland	Finnish
France	French
Germany	German
Greece	Greek
Hungary	Hungarian
Ireland	English
Italy	Italian
Kazakhstan	Kazakh Russian
Luxembourg	French
Netherlands	Dutch English
Norway	Norwegian
Poland	Polish
Portugal	Portuguese
Romania	Romanian
Serbia	Serbian
Slovakia	Slovak
Spain	Spanish
Sweden	English Swedish
Switzerland	English French German
Turkey	Turkish
Ukraine	Ukrainian
United Kingdom	English

List of website locations and languages available in Middle East and Africa
Location	Languages Available
Cameroon	English French
Congo	French
Egypt	English
Ghana	English
Ivory Coast	French
Israel	English
Jordan	English
Kenya	English
Kuwait	English
Mauritius	English
Nigeria	English
Saudi Arabia	English
Senegal	French
South Africa	English
UAE	English
Uganda	English

NEW YORK, NY, January 26, 2026—Nearly three-quarters (73%) of U.S. employers plan to enhance their leave programs over the next two years, according to new research from WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company. Employers cite improving the employee experience (67%) and strengthening attraction and retention (60%) as the top drivers behind these planned enhancements.

WTW’s 2025 Absence, Disability and Medical Leave Survey finds organizations are expanding multiple forms of time‑away benefits to better meet workforce needs. Today, more than four in five employers offer parental leave, and 16% expect to enrich those programs. Similarly, 18% of employers plan to expand bereavement leave by increasing duration or broadening eligibility. The most significant growth is anticipated in caregiver leave, which is expected to nearly double—from 22% to 39%—over the next two years.

“Leave programs have become a strategic differentiator for employers competing for talent,” said Alex Henry, Group Benefits Leader, WTW. “Enhancing leave programs can be a cost‑effective way to improve well‑being, strengthen culture and meet the evolving expectations of a modern workforce.”

“
Leave programs have become a strategic differentiator for employers competing for talent”
Alex Henry
Group Benefits Leader

While investment in leave benefits is increasing, employers continue to face meaningful challenges. Nearly half (49%) report program administration as their biggest obstacle, followed by integration of leave systems (39%) and managing workforce availability amid rising leave incidence (38%).

Interest in unlimited paid time off (PTO) is also on the rise. Currently, 15% of employers offer unlimited PTO to exempt employees, up from 12% two years ago, and 18% expect to offer it within the next two years. Adoption is higher among directors and executives: 27% of employers offer unlimited PTO today, with nearly one‑third (32%) planning to do so by 2028.

To address operational and compliance pressures, more employers are outsourcing leave administration. Today, 72% outsource State and Federal Family and Medical Leave administration, up from 64% in 2023, and 82% expect to outsource within two years. Outsourcing of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) functions is also increasing, rising from 27% two years ago to a projected 46% within two years.

Employers are simultaneously exploring the role of artificial intelligence in the leave experience. Although two‑thirds (66%) remain uncertain about how AI is used today, nearly 70% express openness to using AI for routine case‑management tasks—signaling opportunity for future innovation.

“Compliance requirements are growing more complex each year, particularly for employers managing multi‑state workforces,” said Henry. “Organizations that modernize their programs and administration models are better positioned to meet employee expectations, manage risk and remain competitive.”

About the survey

A total of 585 employers participated in WTW’s 2025 Absence, Disability and Medical Leave Survey, conducted from late October to mid‑November 2025. Survey respondents employ a combined 8 million employees.

About WTW

At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you.