Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work SPECIALIST Certification PROGRAM
DMEC’s Stay-at-Work (SAW)/Return-to-Work (RTW) Specialist Certification helps professionals build the practical skills to support employees managing health conditions or returning to work, while strengthening accommodation coordination and workforce sustainability. This one-of-a-kind professional certification, developed by experts in the industry, enables participants to gain the tools to manage accommodations effectively, facilitate smooth transitions, and drive positive workforce outcomes.
Built on Proven SAW/RTW expertise
To build a certification grounded in real-world expertise, DMEC conducted workshops and one-on-one interviews with managers, experienced practitioners, and top performers working in SAW/RTW roles.
These industry insights helped identify the core competencies that drive success in the field, from communication and collaboration to analytical thinking, medical documentation review, policy application, and return-to-work planning. By incorporating the perspectives of professionals who perform this work every day, the certification reflects the knowledge, skills, and attributes most critical to effective practice.
Through realistic workplace scenarios, interactive knowledge checks, and applied learning activities, participants develop the competencies needed to navigate complex cases, make informed decisions, and support compliant, employee-centered SAW/RTW outcomes while earning a recognized professional certification.
What you'll learn
This certification is the only one of its kind in the industry, covering the core competencies professionals need to support effective SAW/RTW outcomes:
- Persuasive communication and interpersonal effectiveness
- Building collaborative relationships
- Analytical thinking, decisiveness, and initiative
- Employee orientation, results orientation, and flexibility
- Research and medical documentation review
- Federal, state, and company leave policy application
- SAW/RTW plan development
- Effective documentation practices
Course details
The SAW/RTW certification includes:
- 60 hours of self-paced online learning
- Interactive knowledge checks
- Realistic case-based scenarios
- Applied learning activities
- Practical guidance for workplace planning and documentation
- A digital badge
- A certificate of completion
- Eligible for 30 CEU hours.
Who Should Participate
This certification is designed for anyone in the Integrated Absence Management (IAM) industry, whether you’re new to a SAW/RTW role or an experienced professional looking to formalize your expertise. The competency-based approach makes it equally valuable for those building foundational skills and those validating years of hands-on experience.
Pricing and registration
To learn more about pricing and registration for the SAW/RTW program, visit the pricing and registration page.
Certificate & Digital Badge
Individuals who successfully earn the SAW/RTW Specialist designation will be issued an electronic certificate and a digital badge. Certificates will be available to view and download from the DMEC Learning Center.
DMEC partners with BadgeCert, a third-party badging company, to issue digital badges. With each badge earned, individuals will receive an email that contains information about the credential and login instructions to access their BadgeCert portfolio.
Badges can be shared electronically with others via email or through social media networks as well as displayed on resumes, email signatures, and job boards. DMEC’s digital badges are embedded with qualifying information and can be easily verified by others when they access the badge link. This cutting-edge technology allows badge earners to securely share their credentials. Badges can be managed and shared through an individual’s BadgeCert portfolio.
Build practical SAW/RTW expertise
Strengthen your ability to evaluate workplace needs, coordinate across stakeholders, review documentation, and develop practical plans that support employees and employers.
Gain a stronger foundation in the competencies behind effective SAW/RTW, and earn a digital badge and certificate recognizing your accomplishment.
Register
Today!
DMEC members receive discounts on the DCSRS program, along with many other benefits.
Already a DCSRS
designee?
Review the requirements to maintain your DCSRS designation.
Pricing &
Requirements
Following completion of the online course, you must pass a final exam that will cover the knowledge necessary to manage and administer a fully-compliant leave program within your company.
