Market Insights

Cumulative national work hours rose 10.7% between Q1 2007 and Q4 2024, reaching 296.7 billion hours at the end of last year.

"As the legal and regulatory environment changes and employee expectations shift, employers face pressure to meet compliance requirements while offering competitive benefits," according to the latest Disability and Leave Benchmarking Report from the Marsh McLennan Agency.

Overall leaves of absence increased 30% between 2019 and 2024.

While recent changes can be seen as an opportunity for long-term savers, these developments add complexity and liability to advisors and employers managing retirement plans.

Advisors should view this as an opportunity to deliver thoughtful retirement income strategies to clients and help them resist common behavioral tendencies.

While businesses report modest improvements in the financial health of the U.S. economy and their local markets, their own organizations continue to lag behind.