With limited resources and time, it can be challenging for employers to initiate annual Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) training programs for their managers and supervisors. However, the Department of Labor routinely reports that supervisor training is a top area of non-compliance for employers. If organizations don’t properly train their front-line employees, costly litigation could result.

As several recent court cases demonstrate, there is a compelling business case for prioritizing annual training to ensure supervisors and managers are equipped to navigate a potential FMLA or ADA request from an employee. Today we’ll explore best practices and resources that support employers in integrating supervisor training into their compliance and training programs.

Founded in 1992, the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) is the only association dedicated to providing focused education for HR professionals who manage absence and disability in their organizations. Through in-person and online events, certification and training programs, and tools and resources, DMEC delivers effective strategies and best practices to maintain regulatory compliance, improve workforce productivity, and enhance employee engagement and health. DMEC supports over 14,000 members across the United States and Canada, and offers the knowledge and networking they need to effectively manage their integrated benefit programs and expanding workforce challenges.

To address these challenges DMEC provides a training program called FMLA/ADA Training for Supervisors and Managers that includes a 25-minute video, a 10-question quiz to test knowledge, a certificate of completion and ADA and FMLA roadmaps, and the ability to track who has successfully completed the training. Find out more information about DMEC at www.dmec.org.

We are pleased to have the CEO of DMEC, Terry Rhoades with us today. Terri has extensive knowledge and expertise in all aspects of absence and disability program management and prior to DMEC dedicated her career to designing, developing, and managing various organization’s absence programs. Terri has been leading DMEC strategically since 2012 and became the Chief Executive Officer in 2015.

Terri holds an MBA (Business Management) from Columbus University, a Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM), and a Certified Case Management Professional (CCMP) from the Insurance Educational Association, Certified Leave Management Specialist.