January 2019
Technology and Integration
The power and scope of technology for absence management today is impressive. However, despite all that it offers, technology is still just a tool that can be utilized to achieve overarching leave and disability management goals. This issue provides guidance and best practices for utilizing and integrating technology systems for your programs.
Features
Considerations and Challenges: Implementing an Absence Management System
Implementing a state-of-the-art absence management system can streamline the employee claim process, capture valuable data to evaluate organizational health trends, and provide program outcomes and return on investment. However, this process requires a review of strategic and program goals as well as a number of other key factors. Read more.
Navigating Implementation of an Absence Management System
The absence program onboarding process is often viewed as a necessary evil. However, smart use of expert resources and leading technology makes strategic absence management program implementation an efficient and engaging process, that sets the stage for positive and long-standing relationships. Read more.
Spotlight Articles
Program Showcase: Technology Integration
Whether companies are using HR information systems, human capital management systems, time and attendance systems, benefits platforms, or absence software, ensuring a smooth and simple employee experience isn’t always easy. But HR professionals may have the opportunity to require more from their technology partners and better support employees. Read more.
FMLA Case Studies: Fraud Cancels FMLA Protections
Given the FMLA’s strong antiretaliation protection, many companies struggle with how to investigate suspected leave fraud and abuse. Use of social media and video surveillance, when coupled with what is known as the “honest belief rule,” can be effective in investigating and addressing situations in which employees are less than truthful when taking leave. Read more.
RTW Trends: LTD Claims Study
Many studies have shown that people who work live longer. Their lives are both happier and healthier compared with those of individuals who are off work, on disability. Unfortunately, long-term disability often becomes not only long term but life-long. But some people do journey back. Read more.
Columns
Absence Matters: Self-Service Technology Solutions
While life events are expected to happen, they do result in workplace disruption and place additional responsibilities on both the employer and employee. The good news is that the market is continually providing improved self-service technology solutions that make these types of events easier to manage for all parties. Read more.
Integrated Absence Management: Wellness and Productivity
Unhealthy workers are more frequently absent, have more work injuries, are less productive, and have higher healthcare costs. Many employers feel that wellness programs are the best available solution for these challenges. But how effective are these programs and associated incentives? Read more.
Engaging Today’s Workforce: Financial Wellness Programs
A workforce that has its mind on money concerns is less engaged. This lack of engagement can have real-world impacts on employers’ businesses, resulting in decreased productivity, increased absenteeism or presenteeism, workflow disruptions, costs associated with turnover, and lower morale. Read more.
Employer Solutions: Behavioral Health Telemedicine
Medicine is on the technology bandwagon. Doctors read diagnostic images on their phones, and many of us have interacted virtually with a nurse or a doctor. But what about our even more personal psyches? Would you share your depressive symptoms with an app or with a far-distant mental health practitioner you’ve never met? And does that even work? Read more.
FMLA Second and Third Opinions: Fighting Abuse
Employers have a right to seek second and third medical opinions under the FMLA. It is very important that employers select cases strategically, focusing on cases with appropriate facts and circumstances, and devoting resources for the most favorable scenarios to ensure the most effective use of this often-costly tool. Read more.
The Disabled Workforce: Compliance, Technology, and Documentation
When it comes to managing the ADA interactive process, creating and employing a practical, consistent process is half the battle. The other half is communicating and documenting the process. Use technology to help you manage a consistently-applied, timely process. Read more.
Absence Minded: Technology Issues to Consider
It’s true that social media interactions drive many people, but does digital communication drive leave management? According to the Pew Research Center, level of access to the Internet can vary significantly based upon age, income, education, and community. This can impact how an employee engages with leave management. Read more.
Technology and Absence Management: A Robust System
Many key technologies are impacting the world of absence management today, with even more on the horizon. At the core of employers’ leave management programs is the leave case management system. While this is the system of record, it is often complemented by other systems and resources. Read more.
Disability in the Workplace: Technology's Impact
The rapid evolution of technology is impacting leave management and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations. Millennials and Generation Z — the future of your workforce — expect sophisticated technological tools and processes. It is essential that employers adapt and evolve to recruit and retain this workforce. Read more.
Mental Health At Work: Apps Help Close the Gap
An estimated 113 million Americans live in areas identified as mental health professional shortage areas by the Health Resources and Services Administration. But technological advances are establishing a foothold in the mental health arena to expand access to help. Read more.
Aligning Workers' Compensation: The App’s the Thing
Group health and STD/FMLA apps have been around for a few years, but apps are new in workers’ compensation (WC). Let’s take a look at some of the needs specific to a WC app and how they differ from what you expect in group health, STD, or FMLA benefit administration. Read more.
Departments
The CEO's Desk: Giving Context to Technology
Some professionals are concerned that technology will replace the “human touch” needed in absence management; but perhaps we should look at technology through a different lens, as something that allows us to become more efficient, streamline processes, and free up our time for performing those tasks that do indeed require the “human touch”. Read more.
DMEC News: January 2019
DMEC is pleased to welcome new Employer Advisory Council (EAC) members who begin their two-year terms in 2019, thank our departing EAC members who ended their terms in 2018, and welcome a new National platinum sponsor. Read more.
Compliance Memos: January 2019
The January 2019 compliance memos cover failure-to-accommodate claims, Austin's paid sick leave ordinance, predictive scheduling, marijuana legalization, and wellness programs. Read more.
