DMEC and Unum released a new white paper on evaluating leave program impact, alongside the 2025 DMEC Annual Impact Report. A new SAW/RTW Certification launches soon, plus a fresh microcredential course tackles D.C.'s complex leave requirements.

Absenteeism remains one of the biggest pain points for organizations today. The yearly cost of employee absenteeism has been estimated to exceed $600 billion1 in the U.S. alone, driven by lost productivity, temporary staffing expenses, overtime pay, and the administrative burden of managing unplanned leave. While some absenteeism is unavoidable, its growing frequency and impact signal a deeper challenge within modern workplaces.

Most organizations assume their disability accommodation processes are legally sound. Policies are in place, managers have been trained, and HR has handled requests before without incident. It feels like the system works—until a lawsuit proves otherwise.

While often not discussed, one of the main challenges with creating an integrated absence management program centers around certification requirements. While employers and claimants often ask for a simple unified claim form, the reality is that when you manage multiple benefits, they often have different certification requirements that make this difficult.