Alight Launches Leave Planner™ — Simplifying One of HR's Most Complex Employee Processes
HR Core Administration / Payroll / Benefits | 3 min read
Alight, Inc. (NYSE: ALIT), a leading benefits administration provider across health, wealth, leave, and point solutions, has launched Alight Leave Planner™ within its Alight Worklife® platform — a new feature that simplifies leave planning by providing employees with accurate eligibility, pay, and job protection information in a guided and intuitive experience. The launch addresses a significant gap in the employee benefits experience: Alight's 2025 Employee Mindset Study found that 42% of employees have taken a leave of absence in the last two years, citing reasons ranging from caregiving responsibilities to bereavement — yet the leave planning and submission process has historically been one of the most regulated, complicated, and confusing interactions employees have with their employer. Leave Planner is now generally available in Alight Worklife for US customers and is included as part of Alight's leave outsourcing services.
"The Alight Leave Planner transforms leave administration, historically a highly regulated and complicated process, into a simpler, more familiar experience. When employees are preparing for a leave, they need accurate information delivered at the right moment. With Leave Planner, employees can access the information they need in a clear, centralised view, strengthening trust with their employer during what may be a demanding time in their lives."
— Kevin Curry, Senior Vice President, Leader Leaves Solutions, Alight
Five Core Capabilities of Alight Leave Planner™
Leave Planner delivers five integrated capabilities designed to take employees from planning to leave request submission in a single connected experience. Real-time leave visibility — employees can view prior leave history and current balances in one place, enabling planning based on up-to-date accurate information rather than estimates or assumptions. Data-driven eligibility information — the tool uses employer and local policy data to guide eligibility, automating key steps and reducing the risk of incorrect or incomplete information during the planning process. A single connected experience — employees can review options and submit a leave request without re-entering information, streamlining the process from planning through to intake. Integrated paid time planning — PTO, vacation, and sick time are incorporated into the leave planning process, helping employees understand how time-off options work together to support income continuity. Comprehensive leave scenario support — employees can plan for a wide range of leave scenarios within one experience rather than navigating separate tools or processes.
Impact on HR Teams and the Road Ahead
Leave Planner's design serves both employees and HR teams simultaneously. By providing employees with accurate, self-service leave information and enabling end-to-end leave planning and submission within a single interface, Leave Planner expedites compliance requirements and reduces the volume of manual processes that HR teams currently manage — freeing them to focus more on direct employee support rather than administrative leave handling. Alight Leave Planner also serves as the foundation for an upcoming enhancement — Alight Leave Planner with Benefits — which will further advance the experience by incorporating benefits impacts and recommended actions directly into the planning process, powered by AI-driven insights. This next phase will allow employees to understand how a leave of absence interacts with their broader benefits coverage, giving them a more complete financial and coverage picture at the moment they need it most.
Key Takeaways
- • Alight (NYSE: ALIT) has launched Leave Planner™ within Alight Worklife® — a new feature simplifying leave planning by providing employees with accurate eligibility, pay, and job protection information in a guided experience. Now generally available for US customers as part of Alight's leave outsourcing services.
- • Demand context: Alight's 2025 Employee Mindset Study found 42% of employees have taken a leave of absence in the last two years — citing caregiving and bereavement — making leave one of the most frequently accessed, highest-stakes, and historically most confusing benefits interactions employees have with their employer.
- • Five core capabilities: real-time leave history and balance visibility; data-driven eligibility guidance using employer and local policy data (automating key steps, reducing incorrect/incomplete information); single connected experience from review through leave request submission without re-entering data; integrated PTO/vacation/sick time planning for income continuity; comprehensive multi-scenario leave support in one tool.
- • Dual benefit: employees receive accurate self-service leave information at the right moment, strengthening employer trust during demanding life events; HR teams gain expedited compliance processing and reduced manual workload, redirecting capacity toward direct employee support.
- • Leave Planner is the foundation for the upcoming Alight Leave Planner with Benefits — an AI-driven enhancement that will incorporate benefits impacts and recommended actions directly into the leave planning process, giving employees a complete financial and coverage picture at the moment they need it most.