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 Tasha Patterson at tpatterson@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

Webinar Recording: Onboarding Your TPA – Creative Strategies to Avoid Common Implementation Pitfalls

October 12, 2021Onboarding a third-party administrator (TPA) to manage leaves for your organization is one of the most important projects an HR department can take on. Whether you are outsourcing, cosourcing for ... Read More

Webinar Recording: Compliance & Empathy – Creating a Balanced ADA Program for a Post-Pandemic Workplace

October 5, 2021We have all felt the extraordinary effects of the pandemic. These experiences have pushed employees to change their perceptions about what really matters. Employees are placing more value than ever ... Read More

2020 DMEC Benchmarking Reports

October 5, 2021These benchmarking reports are a subset of the 2020 DMEC Employer Leave Management Survey, which was completed by 793 employers, and focus on plan design for workers’ compensation, short-term disability, ... Read More

Massachusetts Extends COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave to April 2022

October 4, 2021The temporary COVID-19 Massachusetts emergency paid sick leave (MA EPSL) has been extended through Apr. 1, 2022.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Enacts Paid Sick Leave with New Ordinance

October 1, 2021On Sep. 14, 2021, the Allegheny County Council unanimously approved a new paid sick leave ordinance requiring employers with 26 or more employees to provide paid sick leave to its employees.

How to Handle Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act Leave Periods

September 30, 2021Amendments to the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, and employees will be entitled to 12 weeks of leave in a 12-month period, instead of the current 16 weeks of leave in a 24-month period.

Webinar Recording: Ready, Set, Go! The Evolution of PFML Preparedness

September 30, 2021Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) has become an increasingly prevalent benefit as additional jurisdictions pass legislation to support their employees. As more legislation is approved, the challenge of learning ... Read More

Webinar Recording: Workplace Resilience and Well-being – Unique Strategies for Life Beyond COVID-19

September 28, 2021Our workforce has experienced many physical, mental, and financial health challenges since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. These stresses have exacerbated pre-existing conditions, introduced a myriad of new health ... Read More

Webinar Recording: Think Absence Management Is Slowing Down? Think Again! 5 Reasons Why It’s Not & What You Can Do to Prepare

September 23, 2021In the past five years, there has been a surge of new legislation regarding paid and unpaid leave, and the concept of the workplace and employee benefits expectations have rapidly ... Read More

Webinar Recording: The Pandemic’s Impact on Collective Mental Health

September 21, 2021In 2020, employers saw a significant increase in demand for mental health services as workers faced unprecedented challenges. Employees have endured months and months of challenges and stressors, functioning in ... Read More

2021 DMEC Paid Family & Medical Leave Pulse Survey Results

September 14, 2021Paid family and medical leave (PFML) laws have swept the nation in recent years. With no two state plans alike, managing this patchwork of new laws can prove challenging. Employers ... Read More

Webinar Recording: True FMLA Stories from Recent Court Opinions

September 14, 2021When dealing with leaves of absence, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) statute sets the framework, while the regulations provide more detail, and the Department of Labor’s (DOL) opinion ... Read More

President’s Path Out of the Pandemic Adds Obligations for Employers

September 10, 2021On Sep. 9, 2021, the White House issued Path Out of the Pandemic: President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan. The Plan outlines a six-pronged approach, portions of which will impose new obligations on employers across the country.

Webinar Recording: 5 Things You Need to Know About Absence in a Post-COVID Workplace

September 9, 2021Like so many areas of our industry impacted by the pandemic, the handling of occupational injuries saw its own evolution over the past year and a half. Despite challenges brought ... Read More

Oregon Issues New Rule Requiring Vaccinations of Healthcare Workers by Mid-October

August 31, 2021Following on the heels of an executive order by Oregon’s governor requiring full vaccination for teachers, staff, and volunteers in K-12 schools, the Oregon Health Authority yesterday issued a new rule requiring that healthcare providers and healthcare staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Oct. 18, 2021.

OSHA Updates Non-Healthcare Employer Guidance on COVID-19

August 18, 2021The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its COVID-19 guidance for non-healthcare employers, Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace, on Aug. 13, 2021.

2021 DMEC State of Absence Management Pulse Survey Results

August 16, 2021Organizations have experienced extraordinary business shifts during the pandemic, with absence management practices being significantly impacted. As we evaluate the new terrain of leave management, it’s pertinent to consider all ... Read More

Vaccine Verification and Testing Requirements for Workers in Schools Across California

August 16, 2021A week after issuing the first in the nation order mandating all healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, on Aug. 11, 2021, the state of California issued an order mandating either vaccination or regular testing for all workers of schools throughout the state.

Puerto Rico Extends Mandatory Vaccination to Dining and Entertainment Sectors

August 13, 2021Puerto Rico has made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for additional industries after Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi extended vaccination requirements for employees in the health and hospitality sectors beginning Aug. 16, 2021.

Pittsburgh Expands COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave

August 13, 2021Pittsburgh has joined other American cities by enacting new legislation to address the uptick in COVID-19 cases from a sick leave perspective.

Federal Contractors Must Comply with New COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for On-Site Employees

August 12, 2021Federal contractors are being contacted by their contracting agencies about implementing requirements relating to President Biden’s mandate that all federal employees and on-site contractor employees either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face repeated testing.

Connecticut Mandates Vaccination for Employees of Broadly Defined ‘Long-Term Care Facilities’

August 12, 2021Connecticut is requiring certain healthcare employees be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine. Connecticut joins other states, including Washington and Massachusetts, in mandating vaccination.

Puerto Rico Implements Mandatory Vaccination of Certain Employees

August 12, 2021Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi has issued an Executive Order (EO-2021-058) making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all public employees in the Executive Branch.

New Jersey: Vaccines Or Testing for Workers in Healthcare and High-Risk Congregate Settings

August 12, 2021New Jersey is requiring employers in covered healthcare and high-risk congregate settings to establish a policy that: (1) mandates vaccinations or weekly testing for workers; (2) creates a system to track the results of the applicable testing requirements; and (3) creates a system to communicate the results of such testing to local public health departments.

California Mandates Vaccination for Workers in the Healthcare Industry by Sep. 30

August 11, 2021The California Department of Public Health issued a new "first in the nation" order mandating that workers who provide services or work in certain healthcare facilities receive their first dose of a one-dose vaccine or their second dose of a two-dose vaccine by Sep. 30, 2021.