Is compassionate leave the next table-stakes benefit?

Between three-day bereavement leave policies and 12 weeks of unpaid leave covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, U.S. employees often find themselves working through an illness, a loved one's death or a personal emergency. 

Leave management software company Cocoon wants to change that. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Cocoon implemented a first-of-its-kind compassionate leave policy, offering four weeks of paid leave for circumstances not covered by existing company leave policies. This could include undergoing an abortion, suffering a miscarriage and the death of someone who is not immediate family.

"Leave laws are patchwork in the United States: Some states say you can only go on bereavement for immediate family or partners, other states have broader laws and some states don't have any laws," says Amber Zeise, director of people at Cocoon. "The goal of compassionate leave is to fill the gaps, encompassing all the reasons folks could need time away from work."

Read more: Mental health leaves of absence are surging in 2024

Zeise highlights that the cornerstone of this policy is privacy — unlike bereavement leave, where an employee may be asked to show proof like a death certificate or obituary, employees do not need to provide evidence to take compassionate leave. While some employers may feel that this gives workers the opportunity to abuse the benefit, Zeise disagrees. In her experience, employees who come forward to utilize compassionate leave either have a valid reason or a reason covered by another existing leave policy.

"When a person requests compassionate leave, I train all of our managers to respond compassionately and thoughtfully and then direct the person to me," says Zeise. "I meet with them and make sure their leave isn't covered under X, Y or Z policy. And folks often do share why they're going on leave, and I feel confident they are using the right leave policy for the right reasons."

Read more: Employees want more from their companies' bereavement policies

For Zeise, it's always been apparent how narrow leave policies are, often making it difficult for workers to take the time they need so they can return to work in a better headspace. And the exclusionary quality of many leave policies is likely to leave a bitter taste for any employee who feels they need it but can't access it, stresses Zeise

"Bereavement is a good example: In certain states, only blood relatives and partners of certain statuses count as losses eligible for bereavement leave," says Zeise. "I have always been someone with chosen family, and the person I am closest to in the world is neither of those things. If I were to lose them, the idea that I wouldn't be protected is truly mind-boggling." 

Read more: An 'anti-hustle' culture drives success at The Honey Pot

As employers consider which benefits and policies can retain top talent, Zeise pushes them to consider how their current offerings may have harmed workers in the past. If employees cannot get support during some of the worst experiences of their lives, why would they want to stick around? 

"Folks often leave companies following either traumatic experiences where they weren't supported by their employer, or following leaves that didn't go well," says Zeise. "And from a business perspective, losing key talent is one of the most expensive things for a business. But the first point I'll go back to is that employees deserve to be treated well by their companies."