During the month of December, pandemic-related Short Term Disability (STD) claims and leave requests coming into the Unum Absence Management Center (AMC) remained high. Compared with November, overall levels were relatively stable, with numbers mirroring those seen this past spring.
A dip in the number of claims and requests late in the month reflects the Christmas holidays.
As a percentage, pandemic-related activity grew somewhat compared to November, reaching 28% of all STD claims and leave requests — a level not seen since mid-April.
COVID-19 vs. non-COVID-19 leave requests and Short Term Disability claims
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), new U.S. virus cases hit a record level on January 2, just at the end of our measurement period. STD claims and leave requests typically lag somewhat behind new cases, so we anticipate that our pandemic-related activity may rise again next month.
Even as vaccinations become available, experts warn the pandemic will likely get worse before it gets better. But as we have reported since May, our focus has never wavered from meeting the needs of our customers, no matter what comes. We continually adjust operations as necessary so that every customer gets the complete attention and service they deserve.
About the report
The Unum Leave and Claim Trends Report offers a line of sight into leave requests and Short Term Disability claims from our extensive customer base of employers across the United States.
The report, first released in May 2020, shows volumes and the proportion of COVID-19-related claims, helping employers, consultants and brokers understand trends and benchmarks as they navigate the ever-evolving COVID-19 landscape.
View previous Leave and Claim Trend Reports
Visit HR Trends for up-to-date insights from HR leaders
Reference material
COVID-19 vs. non-COVID-19 leave requests and Short Term Disability claims [Back to graph]
| Week beginning | Non-COVID-19-related | COVID-19-related |
|---|---|---|
| March 15 | 91% | 9% |
| March 22 | 79% | 21% |
| March 29 | 67% | 33% |
| April 5 | 67% | 33% |
| April 12 | 70% | 30% |
| April 19 | 70% | 30% |
| April 26 | 73% | 27% |
| May 3 | 76% | 24% |
| May 10 | 79% | 21% |
| May 17 | 78% | 22% |
| May 24 | 84% | 16% |
| May 31 | 82% | 18% |
| June 07 | 88% | 12% |
| June 14 | 87% | 13% |
| June 21 | 86% | 14% |
| June 28 | 85% | 15% |
| July 5 | 84% | 16% |
| July 12 | 82% | 18% |
| July 19 | 82% | 18% |
| July 26 | 84% | 16% |
| August 2 | 84% | 16% |
| August 9 | 85% | 15% |
| August 16 | 85% | 15% |
| August 23 | 87% | 13% |
| August 30 | 88% | 12% |
| September 6 | 88% | 12% |
| September 13 | 89% | 11% |
| September 27 | 90% | 10% |
| October 11 | 88% | 12% |
| October 25 | 86% | 14% |
| November 8 | 80% | 20% |
| November 22 | 75% | 25% |
| December 6 | 74% | 26% |
| December 20 | 72% | 22% |