Insights Series
Access practical insights from the 2026 Annual Conference
Access practical guidance on accommodation and leave management, workplace trends, program strategy, and emerging workforce issues through the 2026 Annual Conference Insights Series, a collection of 10 popular conference sessions available on demand.
Insights Series
Access 10 popular Annual Conference sessions
A curated collection of 10 popular sessions from the 2026 DMEC Annual Conference is now available on demand.
The collection explores FMLA strategy, paid family and medical leave programs, workplace mental health, accommodation and leave data, healthcare costs, changing workforce expectations, and other issues affecting accommodation and leave professionals.
What you’ll gain
- Practical perspectives on current accommodation and leave challenges.
- Insights from experienced practitioners and industry experts.
- Strategies and examples you can apply in your organization.
- Perspectives on emerging workplace issues and changing employee expectations.
- Flexible, on-demand access to 10 popular Annual Conference sessions.
Featured sessions
Work Is Recovery: A Fireside Chat With Assistant Secretary Julie Hocker
Join DMEC CEO Bryon Bass for a candid conversation with Julie Hocker, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, on how federal priorities are shaping the future of workforce participation and retention.
With a focus on turning policy into real employment outcomes, Assistant Secretary Hocker will share practical insights on supporting employees through illness or injury, why early and coordinated action matters, and how employers can better keep people connected to work.
Attendees will leave with clear, actionable strategies to strengthen retention, improve employee outcomes, and align with where disability employment policy is headed.
Speakers:
Julie Hocker – United States Department of Labor, Assistant Secretary
Bryon Bass – CEO, DMEC
Beyond Suspicion: Practical Strategies for Managing Leave Concerns
Concerns about employees improperly using disability or job-protected leave often surface in HR and leadership discussions. Yet confirmed intentional deception is uncommon. More frequently, frustration stems from leave use that appears inconsistent, unclear, or misaligned with operational expectations while still remaining legally protected under FMLA, ADA, and state laws.
This session helps employers recalibrate how they assess leave activity by distinguishing intentional wrongdoing, misuse, and lawful but inconvenient patterns. We’ll explore why intermittent absences, evolving medical standards, and incomplete certifications can trigger concern even when employees are acting within their rights. Attendees will also review compliant use of clarification, recertification, and second or third medical opinions without overstepping regulatory boundaries.
Finally, we’ll examine emerging technology tools such as identity verification and event-based monitoring alongside the cultural and compliance risks of mislabeling protected leave, with practical strategies to protect claim integrity while maintaining trust.
Speakers:
- Kelsy Holliday-Schiavon – Corporate Vice President, Absence Product Lead, New York Life Group Benefit Solutions
- Allison Wheeler – Associate General Counsel, New York Life Group Benefit Solutions
Come on Down! Rewriting FMLA Strategies for a New Era
Come on down! The workplace has changed, and so must your FMLA strategy. In this fast-moving, game-show–themed session, we’ll walk through some of the most persistent sticky issues under the FMLA—intermittent bonding, pregnancy-related entitlements, rolling leave-year methods, concurrency challenges, the married-couple rule, and key employee protections—and explore how each becomes more complex when layered with state PFML programs.
Using a Price-Is-Right–style games, we’ll navigate real-world scenarios to uncover where employers often over- or under-estimate the “actual retail price” of compliance risks. We’ll then translate these games into practical, scalable approaches employers can use to build consistent policies even when federal and state rules don’t align. You’ll leave with clear frameworks for tackling multistate complexities, integrating employer-paid parental leave, and avoiding the most common traps that arise when outdated FMLA policies collide with new state leave mandates.
Speaker:
- Abigail O’Connell – AVP & Senior Counsel, Sun Life Financial
Lori Welty – SVP, Product Compliance, Fineos
How Are Your Company Policies Holding Up With All These PFML Programs?
14 states and the District of Columbia have enacted mandatory paid family and medical leave programs. Yet, many employers have not taken a step back to ensure that their company policies integrate and coordinate with these programs in a way that is not only compliant but best meets the company’s objectives and supports company culture.
Speakers:
- Ellen Donovan McCann – Of Counsel, J.D., Littler Mendelson P.C.
- Daris Freeman – Assistant Vice President, Lead Managing Counsel, J.D., Unum
From Policy to Practice: How Employers Are Turning Workplace Mental Health Strategies Into Real Solutions
This session will present new insights from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) based on a three-pronged research initiative examining employer mental health policies, workplace practices, and implementation challenges. The findings reveal how organizations are addressing mental health across accommodation processes, disability management programs, workplace culture, and stay-at-work/return-to-work strategies.
Facilitated by Susanne Bruyere, Principal Investigator, Employer Assistance Resource Network on Disability and Academic Director of the Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, the discussion will bring together employer representatives and an industry expert to examine how these findings are translating into real workplace solutions. Panelists will share case examples of how their organizations are addressing mental-health-related absences, supporting employees through accommodations and leave programs, and integrating mental health into broader workforce strategies.
Through a combination of research insights, employer perspectives, and interactive discussion, participants will gain practical strategies to strengthen workplace mental health policies and programs. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas for improving outcomes for employees experiencing mental health conditions while supporting effective disability and absence management practices.
Speakers:
- Susanne M. Bruyère, PhD – Academic Director and Professor of Disability Studies, Yang-Tan Institute/ILR School/Cornell University
- Wendy Coduti, PhD, PhD – Regional Director, Health & Productivity Analytics & Consulting Practice, Prudential
- Summer Martin, MBA, GBA, SHRM-CP – Employee Benefits Specialist, Octave Federal
- Lana Joiner, MBA, CBP – Benefit Administration Manager, Lee Company
Generational Expectations of Leave of Absence Programs: From Boomers to Gen Alpha
This presentation explores how different generations in the workforce—from Baby Boomers to Gen Z and the emerging Gen Alpha—perceive and prioritize leave of absence programs. It highlights the unique values, communication styles, and expectations each generation brings, and offers actionable strategies for designing inclusive, flexible, and future-ready leave policies. The goal is to help HR and benefits leaders align leave programs with evolving workforce needs to improve engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
Speaker:
Linda Croushore – Associate Vice President, Absence Management, MEd, CRC, LPC, CLMS, Workpartners
Connecting the Dots: Leave and Accommodation Data Insights
Organizations often track FMLA leave and ADA accommodations separately, but when these data sets are reviewed together, new insights can emerge about employee needs, program complexity, and operational strain. This session explores what organizations can learn by examining leave and accommodation data side by side rather than in isolation. Using examples from real organizational trends, this session will highlight patterns in accommodation requests, shifts in mental health–related cases, return-to-work challenges, and the growing resource demands placed on absence management teams. The discussion will focus on how these data points can reveal workforce trends that may not be visible when programs are analyzed independently. Participants will leave with practical ideas for identifying meaningful metrics, spotting emerging trends in their own organizations, and using integrated data to inform leadership discussions, program planning, and resource decisions.
Speakers:
- Caitlin Leidy, CEBS, CLMS – Assistant Director, Benefits, CEBS, CLMS, Lehigh University
- Kelly Woodbridge, MEd, ADAC, CLMS – Accommodations Specialist, M.Ed, ADAC, CLMS, Lehigh University
Whole Person Disability Management: The Missing Link in Controlling Healthcare Costs
Whole Person Disability Management: The Missing Link in Controlling Healthcare Costs: A holistic framework for managing disability as a driver of healthcare spend
Speakers:
- Courtney Johnson – Vice President, Atlanta Life Insurance Company
- Kristin Tugman – Consultant, Health & Productivity, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling
Moderator:
- Trish Payne – Vice President, Business Development, Atlanta Life Insurance Company
From One-Hit Wonders to Greatest Hits: Building Leave Programs That Last
We’re in Nashville, the capital of iconic hits. But even here, artists who last are not the ones with just one great song.
They are the ones who build depth, consistency, and staying power. Leave programs are no different. The best programs, like the best music, are not flashy, they are well-blended, balanced, and built to endure.
Using the framework of one-hit wonders and greatest hits, we’ll walk through leave of absence best practices and common missteps. We’ll talk about leave “one-hit wonders” that may have worked when case volume was low or regulations were simpler or undefined, but became problematic as the space evolved. The best programs build a full catalog: clear policies, consistent processes, strong compliance oversight, and thoughtful employee communication. Today we’ll explore what separates a single good idea from a program with lasting impact and how to turn isolated wins into a collection of “greatest hits.”
Speakers:
- Marissa Hawkins – Total Absence Management, Client Services Manager, CPDM, The Partners Group
- Jamie Herrmann – Total Absence Management Consultant, The Partners Group
- Christine Hinnerichs – Director of Total Absence Management Client Services, The Partners Group
Addressing the Silent Cost of Menopause: A Growing Imperative for Absence Programs
Menopause is increasingly emerging as both a workforce well-being issue and a critical driver of absence, accommodation, and productivity outcomes. In this session, we’ll explore how employers can more effectively address the “silent cost” of menopause by integrating targeted support into broader absence and benefits strategies. Panelists will share practical approaches for supporting employees experiencing menopausal and peri-menopausal symptoms, from building awareness and fostering open dialogue to aligning wellness resources, accommodations, and absence management practices. Attendees will leave with real-world examples, key considerations for integrating menopause into existing programs, and clear, actionable steps to drive meaningful impact on employee well-being, retention, and overall workforce engagement.
Moderator
- Matthew Ceurvels, Sr. – Head of Absence Product, Guardian Life
Speakers:
- Patty Borst – National Practice Leader Total Absence Management, The Partners Group
- Sarah Egizio – Carrot
- Accai Bailey – Regional Absence Practice Leader, West, Guardian
Questions?
If you have questions about the conference recordings or would like help determining the best option for you or your team, please contact DMEC at info@dmec.org.
