Media Requests

To arrange interviews with industry experts, request access to white papers and case studies, or to register for one of our events, please contact Jennifer Blankenship at jblankenship@dmec.org or 800.789.3632, ext. 102.

The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1992 dedicated to providing absence and disability professionals with ongoing support and the latest information, tools, and resources organizations need to minimize employee lost work time, improve staff productivity, and maintain legally compliant absence and disability management programs. We can connect members of the media with top experts in the integrated absence management field.

Latest DMEC News and Events

Top Changes to Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time Statute

June 10, 2024Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz signed legislation amending the state’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law, on May 24, 2024, nearly six months after the statute took effect. Although all of the amendments are important, the top changes are ranked below.

Oregon Modernizes Anti-Stalking Laws, Expands Employee Leave Rights

June 10, 2024On Apr. 4, 2024, Governor Tina Kotek signed HB 4156 to modernize and expand protections under Oregon’s anti-stalking laws. The new law criminalizes newer forms of threatening and predatory conduct which have emerged with the technological advances of recent decades.

Minnesota’s Latest Legislative Session Update

June 10, 2024Minnesota’s legislature was busy providing new rules and obligations for employers. In addition to the changes in the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST), Paid Family and Medical Leave, and pay transparency laws (which we discuss in separate articles), there were more amendments and additions employers should be aware of.

Minnesota’s Human Rights Act Amended

June 4, 2024Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill significantly amending the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) on May 15, 2024. The MHRA, otherwise known as Minnesota’s anti-discrimination statute, already prohibited discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, familial status, and age.

2023 DMEC Employer Leave Management Survey Executive Summary

May 31, 2024DMEC and Spring Consulting Group, an Alera Group Company, have partnered for the 12th year to carry out their annual survey about employer leave management practices. This national survey examines ... Read More

2023 DMEC Employer Leave Management Survey White Paper

May 31, 2024DMEC and Spring Consulting Group, an Alera Group Company, have partnered for the 12th year to carry out their annual survey about employer leave management practices. This national survey examines ... Read More

More Changes to Maryland Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program

May 27, 2024Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed a bill that further delays implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (also known as the Time to Care Act).

DOL Issues Guidance to Agency Staff on Employers’ Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

May 27, 2024The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has published a Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) on the application of federal labor standards to employers’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other automated systems in the workplace. Bulletins provide guidance to field staff on enforcing the federal statutes administered by the WHD.

Connecticut Expands Paid Leave Statute to Permit Benefits for Victims of Sexual Assault

May 24, 2024On May 9, 2024, Connecticut enacted Public Act 24-5, which expands the circumstances under which employees can receive benefits under Connecticut’s Paid Leave Insurance Program.

Webinar Recording: PFML – Making Sense of the Madness

May 22, 2024For some employers, state Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) programs may be old hat, but many others don’t feel ready to manage the complexities, compliance and administrative challenges that ... Read More

Webinar Recording: The Evolution of Mental Health Parity

May 16, 2024In 2008, a pivotal moment occurred as Congress enacted the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) to enhance individuals’ access to mental health and substance abuse care. Fast ... Read More

Webinar Recording: Enhancing Employee Experience – The Synergy of Technology and the Human Touch

May 15, 2024As technology propels us forward, many fear the human connection will be lost. We explored tips and tactics to build out program efficiencies without sacrificing the personal connection that so ... Read More

Connecticut Legislature Passes Major Expansion of Paid Sick Leave Law

May 10, 2024The Connecticut legislature has approved a major revision to Connecticut’s state statute mandating paid sick leave, broadly expanding coverage of the statute over the next several years to nearly every employer and employee in the state.

New York State Budget Includes Enhanced Employer Obligations

April 26, 2024Full content is available to DMEC members only. to view the complete resource. If you are not a DMEC member, we encourage you to join. DMEC members have access to ... Read More

Webinar Recording: Master the Circus of FMLA – State Law & Employer Policy

April 25, 2024The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has long stood as the cornerstone of employee rights, offering crucial leave provisions to eligible workers nationwide. However, the landscape of leave programs ... Read More

Special Report: PWFA Final Regulations

April 19, 2024The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released the text of the final regulations and interpretative guidance implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) on Apr. 15, 2024. They were formally published in the Apr. 19, 2024, Federal Register and will be effective 60 days later.

Puerto Rico Special Paid Leave Activated for Dengue Fever State of Emergency

April 19, 2024The Puerto Rico Secretary of Health issued Administrative Order No. 2024-589, declaring a public health emergency due to the prevalence of cases of dengue fever on the Island. Administrative Order No. 2024-589, signed on Mar. 25, 2024, went into effect immediately and will last for 90 days or until June 23, 2024, unless its duration is extended.

EEOC Issues Final Regulations to Implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

April 17, 2024The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued final regulations and Interpretative Guidance to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The PWFA went into effect on June 27, 2023.

Duluth, Minnesota Repeals Its Paid Leave Ordinance; Other City Ordinances Remain

April 12, 2024Leave laws, regulations, and ordinances continue to change in Minnesota. The city of Duluth, Minnesota, repealed its Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) ordinance effective Jan. 17, 2024.

What Employers Should Know About the Latest CDC COVID-19 Guidance

March 8, 2024It has been almost exactly four years since the COVID-19 pandemic changed the American working landscape. Many of us followed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through multiple changes and guidance, including from no mask, to mask, to no mask.

Webinar Recording: Results of the 2023 Leave Management Survey

March 8, 2024As leave management grows in complexity, so do the questions plaguing absence and disability professionals. If you’ve ever wondered about the leave benefits offered by others in your industry, or ... Read More

Webinar Recording: Building an Equitable and Compliant Accommodations Program

March 6, 2024New laws like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), the long-term effects of COVID-19, and numerous other factors are driving an increase in requests for workplace accommodations. A recent survey ... Read More

Congress Violated U.S. Constitution When It Passed Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Texas Court Rules

February 29, 2024Congress improperly passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, including the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), a federal court in Texas has ruled. State of Texas v. Department of Justice et al., No. 5:23-cv-00034 (N.D. Tex. Feb. 27, 2024). The court permanently enjoined the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Department of Justice from enforcing the PWFA against the State of Texas and its agencies.

Webinar Recording: Through the Lens – The Landscape of PFML

February 29, 2024Now that Colorado and Oregon have active paid family and medical leave programs, and with paid family and medical leave becoming a reality in four more states in the coming ... Read More

St. Paul Issues New Guidance For Employers Complying with the City’s Earned Sick and Safe Time Ordinance

February 21, 2024Continuing the wave of new rules and regulations related to paid leave in Minnesota, on Jan. 8, 2024, the St. Paul Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO) issued guidance on its interpretation of St. Paul’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Ordinance. St. Paul revised its ESST Ordinance in October 2023 to align with Minnesota’s ESST law, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2024