Infographic: Coordinated Leave & PFML

A survey of 402 HR decision makers at U.S. employers subject to paid family and medical leave (PFML) or paid sick leave mandates finds that regulation is being added on top of existing leave structures, not replacing them. This report examines how employers restructure time off, what changes when PFML goes live, and whether they can see across all their leave.

Separation is the main direction of change:

43.3% of employers restructured PTO or sick leave in the past three years, and 91.5% of those that separated sick time named a regulatory reason.

When state PFML programs went live in 2026, leave rose almost across the board rather than shifting from STD:

61.3% saw overall incidence rise, and 84.9% now pay for leave they once treated as unpaid.

The extra work is absorbed rather than staffed for:

72.2% of go-live employers report a heavier workload, and most cover absences through teammates and overtime. Half of employers (49.5%) have limited visibility into a leave metric they rate very important, and a single dashboard across all leave is the tool they want most.

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