Absence Management Perspectives

Setting expectations with managers that employee health and wellness (physical and mental) are part of their responsibilities and training them to identify and address issues early will become increasingly important, says Dr. Kristin Tugman, vice president of health and productivity and holistic wellness for Prudential. She offers guidance and suggestions for how employers can equalize mental and physical health in the workplace in this podcast episode.

Get additional context and context from Dr. Tugman in this Q&A: Time for Change: Employers Can Help Turn the Tide with Mental Health Awareness and Treatment

DMEC

Episode description: Despite best intentions, intermittent leave can disrupt the most productive teams, and some say it's more susceptible to abuse. Yet creating policies with clear, regular communication can help employers ensure that everyone comes out whole, explains Lana Ruprecht, director, product compliance counsel, Reliance Matrix; and Marti Cardi, senior compliance consultant and legal counsel, Reliance Matrix.

More information:

• @Workmagazine column:Responding to FMLA Intermittent Requests for “Planned Treatment” – When Does This “Unduly Disrupt” Operations? 

Resource:

• Department of Labor Opinion Letter Search Hub 

By integrating absence and disability management, employers leverage the information they have more effectively, create more positive employee experiences, and remove undue burdens to access, explains Sara Elder, JD, vice president of operations, Sedgwick. Learn how to protect your absence and disability managers from feeling like air traffic controllers in this episode of the DMEC podcast.

As managers and supervisors do more with less, adding "pause points" when working with employees and fielding requests for leave and accommodation could help employers avoid liability. Listen in as Kristin Jones, CLMS, PHR, SHRM-CP, DMEC Director of Education Programs; and Jess Dudley, CLMS, CPDM, DMEC Education Manager, discuss the issue.

Related resources from DMEC:

• FMLA/ADA Training for Supervisors and Managers
• DMEC Certification & Training

It is increasingly important for employers to assess absence management policies to identify and address inherent bias. This work helps employers become more inclusive and avoid risks, explains Amber Burnap, CLMS, a senior absence consultant with Brown & Brown, in this podcast episode.

Learn more in Amber's feature article "To Gender Equity and Beyond" in the Employer Practices Compliance issue of @Work magazine. DMEC unlocked this article for podcast listeners.

Hear DMEC subject matter experts Terri L. Rhodes, Kristin Jones, and Jess Dudley talk about what they learned during the four-day conference, what surprised them, and the valuable resources they’re already using in this episode.

And sign up now for the 2023 DMEC Virtual Compliance Conference May 3: https://dmec.org/conferences-and-events/compliance-conference/virtual-event/

Puget Sound Energy has registered unprecedented engagement with its mental health and wellness programs. Learn how they design offerings, customize programs to align with company culture, and use data to gauge success.

And read an article in @Work magazine that highlights this success and has been unlocked for listeners: http://bit.ly/3SSrlnL

Technology can be a valuable asset for absence and disability management professionals, who align expectations among team members and build plans for reasonable goals. Learn how to make the most of technology in this podcast episode that elaborates on concepts shared in the Technology & Innovation issue of DMEC's @Work magazine. We've unlocked the column "Integration Technology 101: Master the Basics for a Better Leave Experience" so listeners get the full story.

Hear how employers can encourage employees to show up as their "whole selves" at work, create supportive environments, and recognize the value of lived experience. One key: Be honest about failures, share details about goals, and always be transparent, advises Jamira Burley, an award-winning social impact advisor and strategic initiatives lead for worldwide education at a large technology company. Burley is the keynote speaker for the 2023 DMEC FMLA/ADA Employer Compliance Conference. Her presentation "Fearlessly Authentic: The Story of Self" is scheduled for March 28 in Orlando, Fla.

Resources:

• A Q&A with Jamira Burley:Redefining the Term Expert and Creating Workspaces Where People Can Be Authentic
• iamhereto
• Jamira Burley
• 2023 DMEC FMLA/ADA Employer Compliance Conference March 27-30 in Orlando, Fla.

What's the best way to protect employers and provide for employees who are pregnant? "Avoid lawsuits," advises Marjory Robertson, Esq., assistant vice president and senior counsel for Sun Life, in this episode of Absence Management Perspectives: A DMEC Podcast. The topic is especially timely with new legislation that requires employers with at least 15 employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees. The issue of how (and whether) to accommodate pregnant workers could get easier for employers once the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act become effective June 27, 2023. Listen in to this episode for insights on court cases that illustrate the costs and complexity involved now and how the federal legislation could change behavior to ensure all employees are treated equally and fairly.

Resources noted during the podcast:

1. Navigating the Complex Web of Pregnancy and Parental Leave Laws and Programsfeature article in@Workmagazine:https://dmec.org/2022/11/20/navigating-the-complex-web-of-pregnancy-and-parental-leave-laws-and-programs/
2. DMECommunities: https://dmec.org/resources/dmecommunities/
3. Insights from Marjory Robertson about recent court cases on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjoryrobertson