Few things frustrate employees more than inefficient processes. This frustration is compounded when these inefficiencies block access to critical benefits. With a perfect storm of paperwork, federal regulations, and outdated processes, leave of absence (LOA) processes at many companies are standing between employees and the time off they need. It's time for a change.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) exists to ensure that employees can take protected leave during a multitude of circumstances ranging from maternity leave to jury duty leave, bereavement leave, and more. Like any federal regulation, with it comes stacks of paperwork for employees and HR teams to fill out. On top of that, many companies have custom LOA policies, covering additional circumstances and also allowing for LOA requests to be determined on a case by case basis. While flexible in theory, this often means further complications – and further delays – for employees seeking time off.

The challenge

Today, 60% of HR departments are using manual workarounds to process LOA requests. Whether on paper, in MS Excel, or through a payroll system, these workarounds are incredibly inefficient. Companies struggle to gain visibility on personnel availability, requests slip through the cracks, and HR teams spend unnecessary time checking calendars, spreadsheets, and sifting through emails. Not to mention, workarounds make companies vulnerable to non-compliance issues.