This article first appeared in BenefitsPro on September 3, 2026, written by Ann Clifford.
As paid family and medical leave (PFML) requirements continue to evolve, employers are feeling the strain. The Hartford's 2026 Future of Benefits Study found that 68% of employers say state leave laws have added significant complexity to their work and 60% worry about maintaining compliance.1
For small and midsize businesses, where HR responsibilities often rest with a single person or small team, navigating the shifting requirements can be especially challenging.
"Thinking of PFML as just another leave law adds to the challenge," said Kim Rudeen, head of Absence Products at The Hartford. "Complexity and risk come into play because PFML intersects with FMLA, state leave laws, job protection rules, disability benefits, and policies about company-paid leave and paid time off (PTO). Smaller businesses rely on their benefits advisors to help them manage multiple leave programs that all need to work together."
Benefits advisors can help clients navigate PFML challenges in three key ways:
- Helping employers understand the full scope of their compliance obligations
- Translating changing regulations into practical processes
- Simplifying increasingly fragmented leave experiences
Understanding Compliance Requirements – And Risks
Many employers focus on the most visible elements of PFML compliance, such as payroll deductions and premium contributions. Benefits advisors can help small and midsize firms understand the broader compliance picture and mitigate potential risks.
Along with calculating payroll deductions, employers are also responsible for:
- Clear and timely employee notices at two levels: broad workforce education and required case-specific leave communications
- Reliable, auditable eligibility tracking processes that determine whether an employee meets applicable service, hours-worked and worksite criteria
- Leave coordination to determine what leaves run concurrently, what may be stacked, the wage-replacement offsets that apply and the job-protection period that governs based on each applicable law and plan
- Appropriate leave documentation showing that employer actions were timely, consistent and confidential.
"Smaller businesses typically navigate leaves of absence less frequently than their larger counterparts," Rudeen said. "So, it's understandable they may not fully understand their obligations or how state requirements differ. Advisors play a critical role in helping employers understand what's required of them and how to remain compliant."
Turning Requirements Into Practical Processes
Fourteen states plus D.C. have enacted mandatory PFML programs, each with varying eligibility requirements, funding approaches, covered family members and job protection provisions.2 What seems like a relatively simple decision to hire a remote employee in another state can add significant complexity to a small business's leave management processes and overall operations.
Helping clients translate requirements into action is where advisors can differentiate themselves.
"Advisors and carriers are well positioned to identify a new employee in a state with PFML requirements and proactively initiate a conversation with the employer about what they need to do in order to comply," Rudeen said. "Beyond PFML, advisors also have visibility across the different leave policies in place, so they can help employers address conflicts or gaps before they result in a compliance or employee experience issue."
A consultative approach to absence management starts with advisors asking questions to uncover potential risks, such as:
- How are leave requests handled today?
- What happens when PFML overlaps with disability benefits, PTO or federal leave protections?
- Which compliance requirements apply based on workforce size or locations?
Simplifying Fragmented Leave Experiences For Employees
While compliance requirements are top of mind for employers, absence management risk also extends to the employee experience during a leave.
"When employees take a leave of absence, they're not wondering if it's PFML, FMLA, disability or PTO," Rudeen said. "They're thinking, 'I'm taking time away from work.' They want to know: Am I eligible? How much am I going to be paid? And, in the case of an extended leave, what's going to happen when I return to work?"
Reducing the number of benefits carriers and vendors involved can help to create a more seamless and integrated experience across leave, disability and benefits programs. Advisors, working with carrier partners, can help employers deliver a more connected approach that simplifies claims processes, personalized communications and educational tools, while helping to reduce the risk of delayed benefits, payroll errors and inconsistent employee experiences.
As PFML regulations continue to evolve, advisors play an important role in helping small businesses navigate a complex leave landscape with confidence through increased understanding of their risks and obligations, operationalized processes and simplified leave experiences.
Visit The Hartford's Paid Family and Medical Leave Resource Center to learn more.
