Sun Life U.S. has announced the expansion of its Family Leave Insurance (FLI) to seven additional states: Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin. With this move, the company now offers FLI in a total of 24 states.
The FLI product allows employers to provide paid family leave benefits to their employees regardless of whether the state has a mandated paid leave program. This means all employees can receive the same benefit across different locations. The insurance aligns with current tax credit requirements and is designed to adapt to future changes.
Sheila Sokolski, vice president of Product Strategy and Portfolio Management in Group Benefits at Sun Life U.S., stated: "When an employee has a sick or injured family member, they often have the difficult decision of whether they can afford to take time off to tend to their loved one. With FLI, employers can offer paid family leave benefits in a structure that aligns with their business and provides their employees with a valuable benefit. We believe no one should have to choose between their job and caring for a loved one."
Sun Life’s FLI draws on decades of experience in disability-leave management and return-to-work support. The offering is aimed at closing coverage gaps for employers in states without government programs and is available as fully insured coverage rather than as an add-on rider within short-term disability policies.
The company highlights that its FLI policy is standalone, giving more flexibility for benefit consultants and expanding employer reach. Employees are able to submit claims online while employers have access to tools for tracking leave details.
Quoting for Sun Life’s FLI will be available in the new states starting November 1. The company anticipates approvals in additional states by 2026. More information about the product is available on Sun Life’s website at www.sunlife.com/family.
Sun Life Financial Inc., which trades under the ticker symbol SLF on several stock exchanges including Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE), and Philippine (PSE), operates globally with assets under management totaling C$1.54 trillion as of June 30, 2025. In the United States alone, Sun Life serves around 50 million Americans through various employee benefits offerings.
For further details about Sun Life’s operations or group insurance policies—which are generally issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada except in New York—interested parties can visit www.sunlife.com or consult the company’s newsroom.