Absence Management Perspectives

Tracking the growing number of “safe leave” laws, an umbrella term that applies to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking laws, could be a full-time job for human resources and absence management specialists, say legal experts from Matrix Absence Management, who provide resources and guidance in this episode.

Additional resources mentioned in the episode:

• A Better Balance
• State Leave Laws Relating to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking
• Leave for Domestic Violence Victims Best Practices Checklist

Employers get a unique and valuable insider perspective on how they can encourage a feeling of belonging in their workplaces, and how those efforts lead to more collaborative environments that tap into the rich experiences and differences of employees. Get insights into how differences make teams stronger and more resilient and ways (and resources) to encourage open and honest dialogue, embrace differences, and build stronger relationships.

Resource links:

• https://drnancydome.com/

• https://epocheducation.com/

Confronted with massive change and instability, savvy employers will focus on people skills and the core tenets of what leadership means, says Debra Dupree, Psy.D., chief executive officer of Relationships At Work. An absence management consultant and mediation specialist, Dupree recommends that employers invest more in training and education for managers to ensure their actions align with the organization's mission, vision, and values, and that they update policies and procedures to be more inclusive.

Read the Q&A in the Healthcare And Wellness issue of @Work magazine: https://dmec.org/2022/11/20/industry-qa-a-different-mindset-to-ensure-inclusive-environments/

While compliance questions continue to top the list for integrated absence management professionals, DMEC education experts discuss trends they're seeing and what that says about an increasing knowledge gap that can put employers at risk.

An innovative, integrated approach to population health has improved employee engagement (four-fold), reduced short-term disability days, and saved close to $2,000 per episode at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC. Listen in for details from Kristen Hasley, Senior Director of Health and Productivity Integration and Maria Henderson, Vice President of Workforce Health Strategy and Innovation, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC.

Absence management professionals are faced with an increasingly challenging landscape of paid family and medical leave laws and paid sick and safe laws. Get tips and tools for ways you can support employees and stay compliant.

More employers are questioning how they create time away programs that are meaningful to employee populations of all ages and backgrounds. Listen in as Ali Schaafsma, senior absence consultant with Brown and Brown Strategic Non-Medical Solutions, and Rachel Foster, lead specialist II with CHG Healthcare, talk about how bucketing leaves can empower employees to take the time they need to maintain a work-life balance in this episode of Absence Management Perspectives: A DMEC Podcast.

Employers are in a tough position when it comes to whether they can (or should) test employees for marijuana use. A key question is what they learn from the tests, which are limited, and whether they're better served with investments in supervisor training to ensure safe work environments. Listen in to this dynamic conversation between Terri L. Rhodes, DMEC CEO, and Kathryn Russo, an attorney with Jackson Lewis P.C., who helps employers avoid legal potholes.

A story of rehabilitation and recovery from Long COVID: An employer representative, physical therapist, and employee share an inside look at what's working in Minnesota.

Hear one insider's perspective on how "total absence management" has evolved and now reflects responsibility for anything that affects employee productivity. "This is a whole new frontier," says Debby Kweller, an entrepreneur and long-time DMEC member. Get a bird's eye perspective on how the world of absence management has changed in the last 30 years, and the reason why this role is now in the spotlight for employers of all sizes.