From the hourly light show in the grand hall and fire blasters in the pond, to surviving a tornado warning and evacuating to the basement (if you know, you know), the DMEC Compliance Conference at Union Station in St. Louis, MO delivered an experience that was nothing short of amazing, and the networking opportunities were just as insightful.
What is the DMEC Compliance Conference anyway? Is it a place for all leave and disability employers and thought leaders to nerd out? Yes, yes it is! It’s also more than that! I asked Kristin Jones, Director, Education Programs at DMEC to share her perspective and she said, “Attending the DMEC Compliance Conference is about much more than just understanding regulations; it is about finding your community of experts. We provide a space where accommodation and leave management professionals can forge strong networks that support their daily challenges. Ultimately, this connection reinforces the empathy and human focus necessary to elevate our entire profession.”
As an attendee, I can say the conference delivered on every front. Here’s what kept coming up, session after session:
- Train your managers and then train them again
- Lead with empathy
- PWFA, ADA, and PFML remain complex and nuanced for everyone
Train Your Managers and Then Train Them Again!
In almost every session I attended, speakers practically shouted, “Train your managers!” I know what you are thinking: we don’t have time to train our managers, and they don’t have time to attend trainings anyway. We hear you, but the fact remains training people leaders on how to navigate leaves is essential and can ultimately save time and money in the long run.
To address the time crunch, Matt Morris and I designed a speedy 20-minute manager training as part of our session, “Leave For Good: Debunking Mental Health Leaves.” (Let’s connect and we can share all about it!). Across other sessions, thought leaders and attorneys shared some eye-opening examples of costly manager missteps with payouts ranging from $10,000 to millions. Managers that didn’t follow the right processes, said inappropriate things, or otherwise mishandled leave situations ended up hurting their organizations’ bottom lines and reputations.
Lead with Empathy, Always!
The second message that echoed across sessions was empathy, which coincidently was also one of the topics in our speedy training! Managers and leaders need to remember employees are human. They have real lives, real challenges, and real moments – both good and bad. An organization’s role isn’t just to process leave; it’s to understand what employees need during these moments. Sometimes it is a leave, sometimes it’s an accommodation, access to well-being services, or even just an employee resource group where they can connect with colleagues navigating similar experiences.
When employers lead with empathy, they create better experiences for employees and avoid costly mistakes. And yes, some of these mistakes are jaw-dropping. Here is an example I heard referenced about three times during the conference: an applicant was told she was a great fit and would be hired until the hiring manager heard her monthly cycle might cause absences. Not only was she not hired because of that, but the hiring manager proceeded to text the applicant,
Although we definitely are understanding (that) this is not something you can control. Unfortunately(,) that not being in your control may be an issue later.
Empathy wasn’t just missing in that moment, it was replaced with something far more costly. The good news? Empathy is a skill that can be taught, modeled, and reinforced. That’s exactly why training your managers isn’t an option – it’s essential!
PWFA, ADA, and PFML
The third theme I heard throughout sessions and out in the halls is that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) remain deeply confusing for employers. Despite the PWFA being in effect for nearly three years, costly mistakes continue. Some examples that came up include failing to provide pump breaks and a private place to pump leading to an employee pumping in her car, only to be disciplined for “not working” during that time. Oh…and the cases gets worse! The room audibly gasped when a presenter shared that an employer’s third party administrator turned away a pregnant applicant who had a medical note excusing her from a required agility test. Let that sink in. (Where is the training for these managers? And the empathy?! Have I made my point yet about how important these two are?)
Perhaps the most practical takeaway on PWFA was if the EEOC gets involved for any reason, they will review your policies. If a PWFA policy is missing, they will flag it. Don’t give them the opportunity!
When it comes to PFML, it feels like a new state lurks every month with its own complex rules and timelines. States are changing requirements at the last minute, sometimes without finalized regulations in place just weeks before a law goes live. Employers, and even TPAs, are left scrambling. The best defense for these rapid and abrupt changes is to work closely with your broker and TPA to stay ahead of changes and ensure employees have the smoothest experience possible.
I would be remiss to not mention the ADA as well. While I highlighted pregnancy accommodations above, several sessions covered non-pregnancy accommodations with equally steep price tags attached to them. And although the ADA has been around for longer than PWFA and PFML, the ADA is still difficult to navigate and HR teams and managers often need help doing so.
Insights and Connections
Throughout the conference you could feel the energy in the room. Employers nodded in acknowledgment as they heard challenges that mirrored their own, hands raised with questions about certifications, intermittent leave, and accommodations that have stretched through extension after extension. The roundtable discussions were where the real magic happened. Employers came together to workshop real scenarios, share strategies that have worked, and even be candid about the ones that didn’t. It was honest, it was collaborative, and it was exactly what this community needed. The DMEC Compliance Conference reminded us why we do what we do, and more importantly, who we do it with. We walked away not just with new insights, but with new connections, renewed relationships, and a stronger sense of community within the absence and leave management space. Kristen was right — the DMEC Compliance Conference is truly a space where leave experts, administrators, and leaders come together not just to learn, but to connect.
Missed the conference or didn’t get a chance to stop by our booth? We’d love to connect. Reach out to learn more about how ComPsych integrates behavioral health and well-being into our absence management solution, including how we approach accommodations.
