Did you miss DMEC’s 2021 conferences? For less than $100, purchase our 2021 Best of Conferences Package — an offering that gives you access to four of the highest-rated conference sessions from the year. These sessions provide employer best practices and proven innovative strategies to immediately apply to your own absence and disability management programs. Valuable downloadable resources, including session slides and additional handouts, have been provided by the presenters for your review and use in the workforce.

The 2021 Best of Conferences Package includes:

Paid Family and Medical Leave: What Does the Future Hold? (2021 Compliance Conference): Paid family and medical leave (PFML) laws continue expanding at a rapid pace, and they are changing the American workplace. Currently, nine states and the District of Columbia have PFML programs, with several more states considering legislation. In 2020, we saw the first federal paid family leave mandate in the COVID-19 relief legislation. To understand where we are going, we need to understand where we are now. This session reviews current paid family and medical leave laws that have been enacted at the federal, state, and local levels as well as proposed legislation for 2021 and beyond. Differences between the state PFML programs and the private plan options, and how PFML claims differ from traditional short- and long-term disability claims are discussed as well as insights into how the new PFML laws that offer job protected leave are affecting the workplace.

Job Protection: What Does It Really Mean? (2021 Compliance Conference): Those in leave of absence often use the term “job protection,” but what does it really mean? In some cases, the law spells it out. The FMLA requires an employer to restore the employee to the same or an “equivalent” job. The ADA holds employers to a higher standard; the employee must be returned to the same position, in the absence of undue hardship. But what about the many other statutory leaves that aren’t as explicit, and which may fall within a grey area? Even murkier, what are an employer’s obligations to restore an employee who takes a company leave, such as vacation or sick leave? This session explores the nuances of job protection, from sticky FMLA and ADA cases, to newly-enacted state and local laws, to the sometimes confusing doctrines surrounding employer-provided plans.

Crisis Fatigue: Maintaining the Mental Health of Caregivers (2021 Annual Conference): More than eighteen months after America shifted into the first COVID-19 lockdown, employers continue to address and mitigate the effects on their workforce. While a cautious return to the workplace is ongoing, so too are the lessons learned from months of isolation, loss, and grief. Particularly apparent is the toll the pandemic has taken on employees burdened with added caregiver duties and potential effects on their children and families. Does returning to the workplace mean a return to all things normal or should employers expect that some employees will need ongoing support? In this session, insights are provided into what we have learned about the human condition over these many months and strategies are shared for effective stress management and thoughtful intervention as we continue to work our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Law & Order: DMEC Edition (2021 Annual Conference): This “mock trial” session takes into consideration 2020’s best FMLA, ADA, ERISA, and employment cases — allowing you to participate in a real-life jury trial experience. You will explore discovery, testimony, jury deliberation, verdict, and continued implementation of the outcomes for the employer. Arguments are presented from the employee, employer, and claims administrator for a holistic viewpoint. In addition, you'll have the opportunity to work through and complete the ADA interactive process as an employer, employee, and third-party administrator.