Aflac Inc. (NYSE: AFL), the Columbus, Ga.-based supplemental insurance provider known for its talking duck ad campaign, is opening a South Portland office to handle claims under Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave program.
The company already sells supplemental insurance in Maine through independent agents. From its new office, at 707 Sable Oaks Drive in South Portland, staff will handle claims administration for the state program, which began issuing benefits May 1.
Aflac plans to staff the office with 38 employees, according to a spokesman. The office, in Suite 100, is located near the Maine Mall.
The company said it aims to serve an estimated 500,000 eligible workers and public- and private-sector employers participating in the program.
“We are honored to have been selected as the administrator of this important program,” said Scott Beeman, senior vice president for Aflac Group Life, Disability and Absence Solutions.
Luke Monahan, director of the state program, called Aflac’s local presence “a transformative moment for workers and families across our state.”
Eligible Maine employees may take up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year for reasons including serious illness, bonding with a new child, family military needs, or “safe leave” from domestic violence or other dangerous situations. The leave may be taken intermittently.
Aflac has no current plans for additional Maine offices, the spokesman said.
