As the leave management landscape continues to morph and change across the U.S., employers are getting more creative with how they support employees, and recognizing the need to lead with heart. With higher employee expectations for benefit plan and program design, DMEC subject matter experts note that employers are giving more than ever before during this episode of the DMEC podcast. Listen in for insights from Kristin Jones, CLMS, PHR, SHRM-CP, Director, DMEC Education Programs; Jess Dudley, CLMS, CPDM, DMEC

After experiencing the accommodations process, Kelly Woodbridge, M.Ed., ADAC, CLMS, was inspired to create a more transparent and accessible process that encourages employees to tap into benefits that support their ongoing success. Her efforts have streamlined the leave management process at Lehigh University, which is (in part) why two of her colleagues nominated her for the 2025 DMEC Emerging Leader Award. Woodbridge is the first accommodation specialist at Lehigh and her caseload has tripled in the two-plus years she has

Hear how answering three questions can help you lead a more purpose-driven and fully activated life from Sebastian (Seb) Terry, the 2025 DMEC Annual Conference speaker. Listen in for a fresh take on how people can gain more control over change by pausing long enough to consider their role in it and their ability to influence outcomes. And join us for the 2025 DMEC Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Aug. 4-7 to hear more from Seb, and to capitalize on

What are employers missing with state disability accommodation laws? Listen in to our guests from Reliance Matrix, who add context to a recent article in @Work magazine titled “Dangers Lurk in State Discrimination Laws,” which we have unlocked for listeners. Hear Lana Steven, AVP and Senior Product Compliance Counsel, Eric Broutman, AVP & Sr. Employment Law and Litigation Counsel, and Armando Rodriguez. Esq., Product Compliance Counsel, talk about ways employers can ensure they comply with state disability accommodation laws that are, in some instances, more generous that federal laws!  Resources Dangers Lurk in State Discrimination Laws FMLA/ADA Training for Supervisors and Managers 2025 DMEC Annual Conference Accommodation resources & tools

Neurodiversity is like biodiversity — there is a natural variation between the ways the human brain functions and there is no one right way of thinking, learning, or behaving, explains Lizzie Somerfield, LLM, MSC, New Deal for Neurodiversity, in this podcast episode with Seth Turner, founder, senior advisor, AbsenceSoft. Listen in to hear our guests talk about small adjustments that can be made to workplaces to ensure they are neuroinclusive, and how that can benefit all employees. Hear insights and

Why is “in loco parentis” a renewed topic of interest for leave management professionals? Has the atmosphere surrounding AI shifted? And what is it about psychedelic treatments that has employers seeking context? Listen in for “lightbulb moments” during the 2025 DMEC Compliance Conference from DMEC subject matter experts Kristin Jones, CLMS, PHR, SHRM-CP, Director of Education Programs, and Jess Dudley, CLMS, CPDM, Senior Education Manager. Join us June 4 for the 2025 DMEC Virtual Compliance Conference, which features several of