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A new survey found that many employers plan to add or expand caregiver leave as they contend with workforce burnout, changing family dynamics and competition for talent.
According to WTW’s “2025 Absence, Disability and Medical Leave Survey,” caregiver leave is expected to see the fastest growth of any leave benefit over the next two years, despite only a handful of states requiring it by law. The shift comes as caregiving demands intensify across a multigenerational workforce. Many employees juggle work while caring for aging parents, children or other dependents, often with limited financial or workplace support.
Employers are finding that caregiver leave can help reduce stress and burnout, improve morale and productivity and support retention in a tight labor market where replacing workers is increasingly expensive.
What the WTW survey found
- 73% of employers plan to enhance leave programs over the next two years.
- 39% of employers expect to offer caregiver leave within two years, up from 22%.
- Employers cite improving employee experience (67%) and strengthening attraction and retention (60%) as the top reasons for expanding leave benefits.
- 49% of employers identify leave program administration as their biggest challenge, followed by system integration and workforce coverage.
The importance of caregiver leave
Caregiver leave addresses a growing gap for a workforce that increasingly spans multiple generations. Nearly one quarter of U.S. adults are part of the so-called “sandwich generation,” caring for both children and aging parents, according to another report. These employees often provide about 20 hours of unpaid care per week and may spend $10,000 to $11,300 a year out of pocket to support family members.
Although caregiver leave may qualify under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), it is typically unpaid unless employers offer wage replacement. That financial strain can increase stress and burnout, pushing some caregivers to reduce their hours, change jobs or leave the workforce entirely.
From a business standpoint, caregiver leave can help mitigate turnover risk. Replacing an employee can cost about 30% of annual pay. While caregiver leave will not eliminate turnover, it can lower the risk that employees leave because of caregiving responsibilities.
How employers can implement caregiver leave
Employers considering caregiver leave often start by integrating it into their existing leave or paid time off structures.
Common approaches include offering a defined number of paid leave days per year, allowing caregiving use of banked personal time off or layering caregiver leave on top of state paid family leave programs.
Best practices include:
- Defining caregiving broadly to cover children, parents, spouses, domestic partners and other dependents.
- Coordinating caregiver leave with FMLA and state programs to avoid duplication and ensure compliance.
- Setting clear eligibility and documentation standards while keeping the process simple for employees.
- Training managers to handle workload planning and employee conversations.
Overcoming administrative and operational challenges
Administration remains one of the biggest barriers to expanding caregiver leave. Challenges include coordinating multiple leave programs, maintaining multistate compliance and managing staffing as leave usage increases.
To address these issues, many employers are:
- Outsourcing leave administration to specialized vendors.
- Standardizing policies and systems across locations.
- Using technology to support routine leave management.
- Monitoring utilization to ensure caregiver leave is accessible and free of stigma.
The takeaway
As caregiving responsibilities continue to affect a growing share of the workforce, caregiver leave is emerging as a practical, targeted benefit that supports employees while helping employers attract and retain talent in a competitive labor market.
