Aflac opens new South Portland office to support Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

Rhea-AI Summary

Aflac (NYSE:AFL) opened a new fully staffed office in South Portland, Maine, to serve as contracted administrator for the state's Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. The facility will provide claims administration for more than 500,000 eligible Maine workers as benefits begin on May 1, 2026.

The office supports public and private employers participating in the program and aims to deliver local claims services and ongoing program administration. Program details and updates are posted at the Maine paid leave website.

Positive

• Administrator for Maine PFML covering 500,000+ eligible workers
• New fully staffed South Portland office operational May 1, 2026
• Local claims administration for public and private sector employers

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction – AFL

-0.69%

-0.69% Session close to close

In the May 1 session, AFL declined 0.69%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement highlights Aflac’s role as administrator for Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave...

Analysis

This announcement highlights Aflac’s role as administrator for Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program, serving more than 500,000 eligible workers with up to 12 weeks of paid leave benefits. It follows a series of product, partnership, and community initiatives and comes shortly after strong Q1 2026 financial results. Investors may watch how this public‑program relationship affects volumes, expenses, and future disclosures alongside existing regulatory filings and ownership changes.

Key Figures

Q1 2026 Revenue: $4.3 billion Q1 2026 Net earnings: $1.0 billion Adjusted EPS: $1.75 +5 more

8 metrics

Q1 2026 Revenue $4.3 billion Total revenues, up 27.9% from $3.4 billion a year earlier

Q1 2026 Net earnings $1.0 billion Net earnings, or $1.98 per diluted share

Adjusted EPS $1.75 Q1 2026 adjusted EPS, up 5.4% year over year

Adj. ROE 16.4% Annualized adjusted ROE excluding FX remeasurement

Capital returned $1.3 billion Q1 2026 return to shareholders via $1.0B buybacks and $315M dividends

Resale registration 51,636,945 shares Common shares registered for resale in S-3 by J&A Alliance Trust

Vanguard stake 35,051,978 shares (6.8%) Beneficial ownership reported on Schedule 13G

Maine workers covered 500,000+ workers Eligible workers served by Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave program

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Apr 29 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Apr 29	Cancer advocacy program	Positive	-0.1%	Launched Check for Cancer Champions with donations to cancer-focused nonprofits.
Apr 23	Corporate award	Positive	+0.3%	Named American Cancer Society 2025 Corporate Partner of the Year.
Apr 02	Earnings timing update	Neutral	-0.2%	Announced dates for Q1 2026 results release and investor webcast.
Mar 31	Reinsurance transaction	Positive	+1.4%	Aflac Re Bermuda reinsured a Japan Post Insurance whole life annuity block.
Mar 23	Product launch	Positive	+0.4%	Introduced new long-term care rider for Group Life Term to 120 product.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent fundamentally and reputationally positive announcements have usually seen modestly positive or flat next-day price reactions, with only one small divergence.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, Aflac has reported several strategic and reputational milestones. On Mar 23, a new long-term care rider broadened product flexibility, followed by a reinsurance deal with Japan Post Insurance on Mar 31 that supported risk and capital management. April brought recognition from the American Cancer Society and launch of the Check for Cancer Champions initiative. An earnings-date notice on Apr 2 had little impact. Against this backdrop, today’s Maine PFML administration office reflects continued operational expansion.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Company brings services closer to home for more than 500,000 workers

COLUMBUS, Ga., May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Working with the Maine Department of Labor and the state's Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) Bureau, Aflac, the leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S.¹ and contracted administrator for the Maine PMFL program, announced the opening of a new office in South Portland, Maine. This fully staffed facility provides high-quality claims administration services for over 500,000 eligible workers in the state of Maine and the public and private sector employers participating in the program. The Maine PFML program will begin issuing benefits for the program as of May 1.

"We are honored to have been selected as the administrator of this important program and are excited to open this local office, demonstrating our commitment to the people of Maine now and for the foreseeable future," said Scott Beeman, senior vice president, Aflac Group Life, Disability and Absence Solutions.

"The launch of Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program marks a transformative moment for workers and families across our state. We have all been working hard, and we are deeply appreciative of the partnership with Aflac to ensure a successful launch and implementation. Their commitment to standing up a local office and delivering high-quality service reflects the level of care that Maine workers deserve," said Luke Monahan, director, Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave program.

Eligible workers in Maine can receive up to 12 weeks of paid time off within a benefit year to care for a family member with a serious health condition; to bond with a child after birth, fostering or adoption; to care for their own medical needs; to deal with the transition of a family member impending military deployment; or for safe leave. The leave does not need to be taken all at once.

Updates about the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave program are posted at www.maine.gov/paidleave.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.¹ In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force.² The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 20 consecutive years (2026) and Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 25 years (2026). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."

Group life, disability and absence services are provided by Continental American Insurance Company (CAIC); in New York, products and services are provided by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York; in California, coverage is offered by Continental American Life Insurance Company. Products may not be available in all states and may vary depending on state law. 

¹ LIMRA 2024 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report
² As of March 31, 2025, Aflac estimates based on company data.

Media contact: Jon Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com

Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
Aflac New York | 22 Corporate Woods Boulevard, Suite 2 | Albany, New York 12211
Continental American Insurance Company | Columbia, SC

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aflac-opens-new-south-portland-office-to-support-maine-paid-family-and-medical-leave-program-302760102.html

SOURCE Aflac

FAQ

What role will Aflac (AFL) play in Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program starting May 1, 2026?

Aflac will serve as the contracted administrator for the Maine PFML program. According to Aflac, the company will provide claims administration and local support from a new South Portland office serving eligible workers and participating employers.

How many Maine workers will Aflac (AFL) support under the state's PFML program?

Aflac will support more than 500,000 eligible workers in Maine. According to Aflac, the South Portland facility is fully staffed to handle claims administration for public and private sector participants.

When did Aflac (AFL) begin administering benefits for Maine's PFML program?

Benefits issuance for Maine's PFML program began on May 1, 2026. According to Aflac, the new South Portland office opened to provide claims administration starting with that benefit effective date.

What types of leave does Maine's PFML program cover for workers administered by Aflac (AFL)?

Eligible workers can receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave within a benefit year for family care, bonding, personal medical needs, military deployment transition, or safe leave. According to Aflac, leave may be taken intermittently or continuously.

How can Maine employers and workers get updates about the PFML program Aflac (AFL) is administering?

Updates are posted on the state's paid leave website at www.maine.gov/paidleave. According to Aflac, the company will coordinate with the Maine Department of Labor and the PFML bureau for program communications and resources.