Time Away & Life Events

Time away from work is essential for rest, family needs, personal responsibilities, and major life moments. First Lantern provides a comprehensive set of leave and time-off programs to support Lanterns throughout the year.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Eligible Lanterns receive flexible paid time off for vacation, personal time, and short-term illness.

Sick Time

Sick time is provided to ensure Lanterns can recover from illness or attend to necessary medical appointments. Lanterns are encouraged to prioritize their health and may use available PTO for illness, medical appointments, or caregiving needs.

Holidays

First Lantern observes 10 paid company holidays each year.

Family & Medical Leave

Life doesn’t always follow a schedule. When Lanterns need extended time away to care for themselves or others, several leave types may apply.

Parental Leave

Eligible Lanterns may receive:

• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement
• Flexible return-to-work support

Medical Leave

For Lanterns who need time away due to their own illness, surgery, or recovery:

• May coordinate with short-term or long-term disability
• Typically requires documentation from a healthcare provider
• Job protection may apply depending on your organization and location

Bereavement Leave

Paid bereavement leave is available following the loss of an immediate family member.

Volunteer Time Off

Lanterns receive 1 paid volunteer day annually to support causes meaningful to them.

Life Events & Coverage Changes

Certain life changes allow Lanterns to update benefit elections outside standard processes.

Examples include:

• Marriage or divorce
• Birth, adoption, or foster placement
• Loss or gain of other coverage
• Moving to a new address or region

Lanterns must provide supporting documents based on their organization’s requirements.

Hour-Bank or Contribution-Based Eligibility

For Lanterns in multi-group settings:

• Eligibility for benefits is often earned through hours worked and credited by participating groups.
• If you do not meet hour requirements in a given period, you may have the option to self-pay to continue coverage.
• Each fund or group sets its own rules—refer to your eligibility summary for specifics.