MetLife is offering paid voluntary leave to its licensed healthcare workers who join the fight against COVID-19, the company announced last week. Among the volunteers nationwide, five nursing and psychiatric clinicians are working at hospitals and behavior health facilities in the Triangle.

This new program was created by MetLife’s Return to Health Organization in response to the strong interest voiced from MetLife employees wishing to help. MetLife, which has offices in Cary, employs dozens of full-time trained nurses, behavioral health professionals, physicians and other medical workers. Volunteers will be deployed in two-week rotations to hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

“MetLife has a 152-year history of always being there when our customers and communities need us the most,” said Bill Pappas, executive vice president and head of Global Technology and Operations, in a May 11 press release.

“The entire MetLife family is incredibly proud that our people want to use their training to make a positive impact. Whether it’s augmenting a local health center’s staff or filling in for a front-line medical worker in desperate need of a break, our goal is to help in any capacity needed.”

MetLife anticipates placing clinical volunteers in hospitals, COVID testing centers, blood banks, assisted living facilities and urgent care facilities. Its mental health professionals will be matched with local community mental health and support groups.

The first group of 23 volunteers in the rotation spans nine states, with the largest groups located in areas in which MetLife has a significant employee base such as Oriskany, N.Y., and the greater-Cary area. Other locations include California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire and Oregon.

Additionally, the MetLife Foundation announced on March 31 that it is committing $25 million to the global response to COVID-19 in support of communities impacted by the pandemic.