US employers fall short on paid caregiving leave expectations

• A child (33%)
• Someone other than a child (41%)
• Both a child and someone else (21%)

According to the report, employees used up less than or equal to three days of paid time off for the following reasons. A third, however, said they needed at least four days but weren’t able to because of:

• Affordability (37%)
• Stigma or employer thinking poorly of them (33%)
• Worry about advancement (26%)
• Not wanting to leave coworkers to do their work (26%)

Mark Devine, head of Life, Absence & Disability Products in Prudential Group Insurance, said clear and supportive communication would help reduce the stigma around taking time off.

“Beyond offering paid leave benefits, employers can foster a broader understanding of how to use the benefit and reduce any stigma around utilising them through consistent, clear, and supportive communications,” Devine said in a statement.