Between 2015 and 2019, lost work due to sick leave has increased 12%, while short-term disability has risen 50%.
Health insurance may be an employer's biggest benefits expense (not including wages, of course), but as the amount being spent on health care rises, the ROI may be adding up to less than employers think.
According to a recent study from the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), for every dollar that employers spend on health care benefits, they're spending 61 cents on illness-related absences, disability and reduced productivity. Employees are missing a collective 978 million in sick days, workers' comp, disability and family leave, and health-related distractions at work add an additional 540 million in lost workdays.
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Emily Payne
Emily Payne is director, content analytics for ALM's Business & Finance Markets and former managing editor for BenefitsPRO. A Wisconsin native, she has spent the past decade writing and editing for various athletic and fitness publications. She holds an English degree and Business certificate from the University of Wisconsin.
