The interaction and application of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) remain persistent and complex for employers. In this perennial mustattend session, we will review significant FMLA & ADA case law developments from the past year, identify emerging case law trends, and discuss recurring issues that continue to get the courts’ attention. On a practical level, we will assess the impact of the cases on day-to-day practice in the management of employees with medical conditions.

The employer’s road through COVID Land is fraught with legal challenges and potential pitfalls – and we aren’t even talking about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)!  Join our legal experts as they travel through federal, state, and municipal pandemic laws creating employee rights and employer obligations.  We’ll cover the ADA, OSHA, USERRA, state and municipal leave laws, and – last but not least – COVID-19 lawsuits, both real and imagined!

A “one size fits all” approach to leave, accommodation, paid leave, and disability policies is often not attainable for national employers or local employers trying to attract and retain local talent. In this session, we will provide employers with a coast-to-coast understanding of absence, accommodation, and disability management and explore how to compliantly develop programs that meet your organization’s geographic needs.

Is there one solution for your organization when it comes to determining leave compliance and process strategy? During this facilitated panel discussion, we’ll offer opportunities, challenges, and best practices for all leave process options, including outsourcing, insourcing, and cosourcing.

Effectively accommodating employees is no easy feat, whether for an Americans with Disabilities accommodation request or as part of a broader stay-at-work/return-to-work program. In this session, we’ll explore technology and solutions such as Physical Demands Analysis and Functional Capacity Evaluations that employers can leverage to bring their accommodation program to the next level. 

Does your accommodation process feel like a guessing game? In this session, we’ll provide practical solutions to help you find simple solutions to the most complex accommodation situations and provide tips for a smooth path forward. 

How does the federal statute prohibiting discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coincide and interact with the various state workers’ compensation laws? During this session, we’ll address disability in the context of state workers’ compensation laws and how it is different/similar to the ADA with the ultimate goal of successful return to work.

State and local laws demonstrate a trend of support for gender inclusiveness. In this session, we will assist you in identifying legal issues related to gender expression and identity, as well as explore best practices for establishing gender transition guidelines, supporting correct pronoun usage, updating employee documentation and systems, and more. 

Employees with mental health conditions can pose challenges for leave professionals as they look to identify the employees’ needs, provide accommodations, and assist with return to work. In this session, we’ll discuss the legal contours and ramifications of the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), as well as pragmatic solutions and resources for providing accommodations and return-to-work support. 

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is the most contrary of all leave laws — general principles that apply to other state and federal leaves of absence have no place under USERRA. In this session, we’ll discuss how to comply with the law and manage its variety of complexities.