Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) opened a new office in South Portland, Maine, to administer the state's Paid Family and Medical Leave program for more than 500,000 eligible workers. The facility provides claims administration services for public and private sector employers participating in the program, which began issuing benefits May 1.

The Maine Department of Labor and the state's Paid Family Medical Leave Bureau selected Aflac as the contracted administrator for the program. Scott Beeman, senior vice president of Aflac Group Life, Disability and Absence Solutions, stated the company is honored to serve as administrator and committed to supporting Maine residents.

Luke Monahan, director of Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program, said Aflac's commitment to establishing a local office reflects the level of care Maine workers deserve. The partnership ensures successful launch and implementation of the program.

Eligible Maine workers can receive up to 12 weeks of paid time off within a benefit year for various qualifying reasons, including caring for a family member with a serious health condition, bonding with a child after birth or adoption, addressing their own medical needs, dealing with family member military deployment transitions, or for safe leave. The leave does not require consecutive time off.

Aflac describes itself as the leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the United States and a Fortune 500 company. The company has provided financial protection for more than seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan.