New tool from Unum helps dads, moms and HR teams manage parental leave

As the nation prepares to honor its dads this Sunday, recent research from UNICEF spotlights a stark reality that almost two-thirds of the world’s children less than a year old (nearly 90 million) live in countries where fathers are not entitled by law to take paternity leave. The U.S., which has nearly 4 million births per year, is one of eight countries with no national law guaranteeing paid parental leave for either moms or dads.

More U.S. states, however, including New York, are mandating paid family leave. Variations in federal, state, and company leave policies can create confusion for both employees and their employers. In a recent survey of caregivers by Unum (NYSE: UNM), a leading provider of leave management services and employee benefits in the U.S., around 85% of respondents said they would welcome mobile technology to help them manage their leave.

Earlier this year, Unum introduced a leave management solution to new and existing customers to help better manage their leave programs. The LeaveLogic platform allows employees to create a leave plan which consolidates all leave benefits and lists the tasks needed to ensure proper leave planning and a successful return to work. It also educates the HR manager by delivering training on supporting the employee through their leave event.

For its own employees, Unum also introduced new paid parental leave benefits for both mothers and fathers in the U.S. this year. The benefit provides six weeks of paid leave to care for a newborn, or a child placed through adoption or foster care, at any time during the 12 months following birth, adoption or fostering.