I’m Taking a Leave of Absence

There are many reasons you may need to take a leave of absence, and Alera Group has options to support you. The type of leave you take determines how much time is available and whether your leave is paid or unpaid and job protected.

Examples of leaves include:

• Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
• Paid Family Leave
• Military Leave
• Personal Leave of Absence

Explore all your options on the Leaves of Absence page.

In addition to leave options, Alera Group automatically provides Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance at no cost to colleagues.

In order to take a leave of absence, you must meet certain eligibility requirements. For example, to qualify for FMLA, you must:

• Have worked for Alera Group for at least 12 months, and
• Have completed 1,250 hours of service in the 12 months before your leave starts

Learn more about the eligibility requirements for each leave in the Colleague Handbook or reach out to the Alera Group Benefits Center at 888-850-1765.

Before you take your leave of absence, follow these steps:

• Submit your leave request to the HR team through a Zendesk ticket on ARCH and through Unum’s Total Leave platform. If you can, try to request your leave 30 days before you need to be away from work. Otherwise, submit your request as soon as possible.
• Provide any required documentation
• Talk to your manager about your timeline and transition plan

During your leave of absence, follow these steps:

• Keep in touch with your manager and the Unum leave team
• Follow any additional steps required by your leave type
• Use available PTO if required

When you’re ready to return to work, follow these steps:

• Notify your manager and Unum of your return-to-work date
• Provide a release from your doctor if returning from disability leave
• Reconnect with Alera Group HR if you have any questions or need support

Taking time away from work ⎯ especially for medical or family reasons ⎯ can feel overwhelming.

Reach out to Spring Health anytime for no-cost resources and/or counseling.

If you have questions about your benefits, leave options, or return-to-work process, contact the Alera Group Benefits Center at 888-850-1765 for personalized help.