Shownotes
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 Senior Education Manager; and Virginia Cyrus, DMEC Education Manager.
They discuss takeaways from the 2025 DMEC Annual Conference, which illustrate bigger industry trends and the value of attending DMEC’s Virtual Annual Conference on Oct. 1. Register by Sept. 19 for a chance to win prizes and gain the insights and tools your team needs for ongoing success: https://dmec.org/annual-conference/virtual-event/
Resources:
Transcripts
data. You know, that was a huge discussion throughout the conference and you know, a lot of the challenges that employees still face, employers still face, is the manual tracking and how difficult that is. And it's not sustainable. Many organizations, they're still struggling with that piece of it. And you know, there was a lot of good discussion on why it's important to have an automated like tracking system and to be able to, you know, flag and streamline your communication by having,
you know, the right type of automation as well as to be able to analyze trends. So those were my key takeaways from my first annual conference.
[:you can tell we were at the same conference match. I also had data driven decisions as well, I think for all of the reasons that she had indicated as well. I mean, we need to be able to advocate and have better resources and those resources and policies internally just to support the neurodiversity, your workforce, everybody. And so I think that's real important. I also had listed communication, supervisor training, manager training, communication with employees, all of that, like, very important. And then another takeaway for me aside from those was just how much these leave management professionals are really being asked to juggle right now. I mean, there's the state programs and the federal policies and the discussions around all of the leaves happening and the growing need for mental health support. So they really have a lot that they're trying to juggle right now. I know. Kristin, what do you think?
[:And employers are really getting creative in the ways that they are. The things that they're trying to support their employees through, what role they're trying to play for their employees and what roles they're being asked to play.
[:[12:33] And it just it's so exciting to be in rooms with people who are working through the same things or, you know, the. The crux of the issues are the same.
[:[12:53] there's similarities and parallels from person to person, and it's so neat. There's so much value because employers are doing so much more to hear and to network with other people on what they're doing, in addition to hearing from the experts who are up on stage.
[:[13:14] and the ideas just flow. And it's really exciting to see happen.
[:[13:23] ask questions and share different experiences. So thank you all for those,
[:[13:31] I wanted to start with you on this. The discussion about federal paid leave,
[:[13:44] was a great way to kick off the third day of the conference.
[:[13:59] I'd love to hear you all share your thoughts about that federal discussion,
[:[14:09] and why it's important for employers to hear directly from state leaders in this realm.
[:[14:19] Sure.
[:[14:31] And I think those helped bring that clarity to what's really going on in the horizon.
[:[14:42] I think employers have a real opportunity and almost a responsibility, too, to just be a part of that conversation. These leaders, they're the ones that are implementing these policies. So I think employers have a responsibility almost to provide that feedback.
[:[14:59] what's going to help them, what's not going to help them, and they can really help to shape these programs so that it's something that's actually workable for everybody.
[:[15:20] And it's, it's not Just about compliance. It's really about being thought, being a thoughtful partner in the process.
[: [:[15:49] just the landscape of that. I mean, that's an area where unless that's kind of our area of expertise, like I know in particular some of our supplier audience has folks who specialize in that area.
[:[16:05] you know, a lot of kind of what fell through, why and what kind of where and how. Maybe it's, it's being resurrected or kind of talked about again.
[:[16:27] at the, you know, in the, in D.C. who for senators, staffers and representative staffers as well as we had someone from the state up there as well. That was just a really great conversation to hear their perspective on some of the issues, some of the sticking points, some of the things that have,
[:[17:00] It was just really insightful and I thought they also had. I think it's always just great to hear about how employers can and should be tapped into this because obviously it impacts us and in our day to day,
[:[17:28] how do we operationalize this? What does that mean for us and for our employees and our staffing?
[:[17:55] I think the folks who legislate and regulate these things,
[:[18:13] Not everyone on the other side is aware of that aspect and all of those nuances. We hear about a new law and we're immediately thinking about what does this look like from a concurrency or stacking standpoint for leave time, what does this mean for,
[:[18:46] And so DMEC is really making an effort and really doing a lot of great things to get more involved and connected on this front.
[:[18:58] this is something, you know, we're a mission driven association and we represent our membership. And so any opportunity that we have to get these voices together in a room and to help facilitate these conversations and to be a leader for people in organizations on all sides of these issues. I think that's really how we serve the community. I think that's how we serve the states, it's how we serve the employers. And at the end of the day, it's how we serve the workforce at large and make sure that people are supported in the right ways,
[:[19:44] So I think that's really exciting to see and we're deepening our involvement in bringing those connections together and helping educate everyone on all sides of this. And that's really fun.
[:[20:04] It was a great discussion.
[:[20:19] And you know, I think it's important always to hear from the experts how you can get involved,
[:[20:29] When they talked about just making sure that you're, you know, involving yourself by looking at the latest and greatest things through dmec,
[:[20:44] And you know, like you said, Kristin, employers, they play just a critical role.
[: [:[21:15] I had the opportunity to sit with the state representatives at the DMEC booth. It was really interesting to see them field questions directly from attendees at the conference.
[:[21:36] So I think it's a wonderful perspective to talk about that panel on the main stage with those federal lawmakers and their senior policy advisors and then the state representatives who are doing the implementing at that state level and the different ways that employers can approach them, talk with them,
[: [:[22:22] We've worked for a lot of years with Helen Applewaite at the DOL and Diera Fitzgerald was there this year.
[:[22:41] They've made themselves available to our membership through sessions and doing Q and A and coming to conferences and webinars.
[:[22:53] they have been so receptive to being at our conferences and we see it grow every year. The last several years, it's just little by little the number of people we have from the states, from the federal regulators is increasing and they are really interested in hearing the questions and hearing the sticking points and in taking that back and learning from that.
[:[23:34] But that's I think a really exciting opportunity that people don't often have to really get face to face with folks at the states and to have that dialogue. And I think that is something unique that is available at that in person kind of conference experience that I just, I cannot overstate the value that that brings.
[:[24:21] So I will include that information in the notes section as well and a few other resour for listeners to follow up and learn more about different ways they can get involved.
[:[24:40] From sessions focused on claims management and accommodation challenges,
[:[24:51] From an insider perspective, what does this variety say about the challenging responsibilities for relief management professionals? And what tips or tools did you all take away with you that you think would be most helpful to the people who are supporting employees on a daily basis?
[:[
25:13] Kristin Jones: I think it just shows that the challenge is growing.
[:[25:27] We know it's a blend and a recognition of how every aspect of a person's life impacts all the other areas.
[:[25:52] Where things are kind of automated, they're routine, they're set and it's the same every time.
[:[26:08] it can be difficult for organizations because we do like that structure of policy and process.
[:[26:31] And employers know this. They see the connection and they see the value of providing supports for folks in addition to it just being the right thing to do.
[:[26:58] or here is the guidelines and the best practice.
[:[27:11] this is what it actually looks like, or this is how you actually can implement that. And those,
[:[27:32] It taught it,
[:[27:43] So I just felt like that was incredibly helpful for people. V. What did you think?
[:[27:49] And, you know, coming from that background,
[:[27:55] It never has been and likely never will be.
[:[28:09] I mean, you.
[:[28:15] You're talking about an individual's reason for the leave,
[:[28:21] the level of support that they require,
[:[28:27] your compliance teams, the systems that you have to use. I mean, there's so much involved with leave management,
[:[28:40] And what matters is really, truly. And what we've been talking about is how you treat people throughout the process.
[:[28:55] there was some good education about what we can continue to do. I mean, people truly care about making a difference and trying to address the challenges that people face,
[:[29:12] and how to do things with fairness and consistency and empathy.
[:[29:29] the systems to track leave,
[:[29:38] And, you know, there was just a lot of engagement and, you know, just some other things that I felt that, you know, were clear and throughout the conference was it's important for people to ask questions,
[:[29:56] to advocate for continuous improvement, to show the decision makers why evolving leave management practices aren't just helpful, but they're necessary and that, you know, we just need to be able to show tangible results and real stories so that we can make the change.
[: [:[30:23] I think these sessions,
[:[30:30] And I just really think it highlighted the lead professionals. Again, they aren't just managing claims,
[:[30:52] You're. You're starting or we're starting to see, I think a lot of approach to leave with that transparency and empathy added in there. And I feel that that builds the trust and it really strengthens our workplace culture.
[:[31:13] So what was your favorite session during this conference?
[:[31:30] Virginia Cyrus: I would say a very memorable session for me would be how to handle trauma in the workplace. There was a quote from the presenter at the very beginning that's stuck with me.
[:[31:52] And you know why, you know the conferences are so important and you know,
[:[32:08] A trauma informed manager is an empathetic manager.
[:[32:19] It's important to validate and show emotion,
[:[32:39] Do not enter a room without knowing your employee resources,
[:[32:48] So that's what stood out to me.
[:[32:53] One focused on mental health innovation and the other was focused on loneliness and kind of that social inclusion in the workplace.
[:[33:06] both sessions really reinforce the idea of leave. Management isn't just policy,
[:[33:13] And I think when we show up with empathy and with innovation,
[: [:[33:32] I'm not ashamed of the fact that I am a proud Swiftie.
[: [: [: [:[33:53] But not even just the connection, because I do, I do have to say, even for those who are not Taylor Swift fans,
[:[34:04] It's for the value of this session. There was a lot of really great content in this session. So I,
[:[34:22] But the reality is the content was. Was five stars.
[:[34:41] And they really did a nice job of layering them in and talking about them separately. You know, talking about pfml,
[:[34:54] But then also,
[:[35:05] What are the pros and cons of different options that we have?
[:[35:27] And they really grounded it all at the end with a look at the case law that kind of got us where we are here today with these,
[:[35:43] So I'm super excited that we have this session for our virtual annual conference coming up in early October as well.
[:[36:04] And I just loved how they layered it in. And I thought it was really, it felt manageable and it felt really practical and insightful. So I'm really excited that we are kicking off the virtual annual conference with that session.
[:[36:23] I will also add just piggybacking. V mentioned it, but the session titled the Trauma Informed Management Strategies was also such a powerful session for all the reasons that V said.
[:[36:49] And I think oftentimes we hear someone say that and you know us in this recap and we think, well, of course, like I'm a good person, like I'm not going to come into a room judging someone and it's not coming from any ill intentioned place.
[:[37:07] how often is it easy to kind of say, well,
[:[37:19] it's typically that you want nothing but the best for someone, but that those thoughts I think are there a lot of times and we really learned a lot in that session about how unique people experience things, whether it is community trauma or a personal trauma, and how brain chemistry plays into that and so many other things.
[:[37:46] to really,
[:[37:51] And I felt like that was really valuable. There was, there was a lot of great stuff in, in that session as well as all of them. So hard to narrow it down, but there was, there was a lot of really great practical content.
[:[38:09] and what resonated with you about his presentation and what you hope attendees will take back to their daily routines and teams.
[: [:[38:28] The wealth of experiences that he shared with us,
[:[38:38] One remark that especially resonated was his powerful observation.
[:[38:47] And it's a sentiment that rings true I think with anyone who's ever witnessed a spark of inspiration in real change, whether it's in your, your personal life or professional environment.
[:[39:19] And I felt that just his whole message brought how he was able to Bring it back to leave management. Let's still with your personal lives and, you know,
[:[39:36] I just thought he did such a phenomenal job.
[:[39:51] I could never, you know,
[:[40:09] think of what you're missing out on or what you could have. And I think so much of what he really. All of his experiences that he talked to us about,
[:[40:31] But he really puts a lot out. I mean, I don't want to under. I don't want to sell short his,
[:[40:49] And I think a lot of the things he's been able to accomplish have been by doing that through human connection. And that really resonated for me. And I, in addition to just the opportunity in our personal lives,
[:[41:10] the policy,
[:[41:14] you know, paperwork of a claim, those types of things.
[:[41:30] In the value we derive from what we do and the impact that we make and in the people we're serving and in how this experience kind of comes for them, you know, every.
[:[41:54] and they're going to remember this. They're going to remember the interaction, they're going to remember the help that they needed and that connection that they had with the person who guided them through that.
[:[42:08] That human connection in all areas and what that means for us. But,
[:[42:19] The cool experiences that he has had.
[:[42:34] But that was a really great session, and he was just a really engaging and dynamic person. And. And I just thought it was really inspiring and. And energizing.
[:[42:54] that purpose really resonated with me. And it reminded me that, you know, even in a field like leave management, where, like you said, we're. We're focused on compliance and we're focused on the logistics of how do we make this happen.
[:[43:08] Like,
[:[43:12] So I hope attendees walked away feeling inspired to bring more humanity into their work and to prioritize what matters most,
[: [:[43:28] And I think the title of his keynote, Unlocking Passion, Performance, and Transformation, seemed to really resonate with attendees, certainly looking at all of the.
[:[43:45] So it's wonderful to hear your thoughts on that keynote.
[:[44:03] Kristin moderates those questions. And so we're going to start with her here.
[:[44:19] Just for context, for listeners during conferences, DMEC has an app that attendees can use to not only ask questions, but as attendees in the audience, you can also vote on questions that you want those speakers to ask.
[: [:[44:49] A lot of people enjoy taking the opportunity to ask questions around some specific scenarios. And I'm not saying they necessarily get in there and they say Jane was absent three times and she lives in Massachusetts.
[:[45:05] like a specific nuance of administering a certain type of leave or something that has been kind of a tripping point for their organization. They're not sure how to craft their policy around this.
[:[45:23] you know, whether it's in loco parentis assessment, now that we have some newer guidance this year around that, or,
[:[45:34] they really love to have the opportunity to ask some of the specific questions around the details of the administration. And those likewise are also the ones we see get voted up.
[:[45:56] And so we tend to see those get voted up a lot.
[:[46:03] There's also a blend. I mean, we see a lot of a blend of some that I would consider probably more foundational questions indicating that we've got someone who, for this particular topic, maybe it's a little bit newer for them.
[:[46:27] So we really see through that. I think that the conference is meeting the needs of people at all areas, all levels of their career and all areas of experience in this space.
[:[47:02] but they're still with their peers. They're still having the basis for those deep connections and networks as well.
[:[47:26] So there's a lot of manager training. I heard.
[:[47:31] I.
[:[47:39] So questions amongst the, you know, the attendees of, you know, let's exchange numbers,
[:[47:51] you know, just from my perspective, just being new to the annual,
[: [:[48:14] Okay, so speaking of meeting new people, Jess, I'm hoping that you'll talk a little bit about the first time attendee session,
[: [:[48:45] But I think what draws people in initially is probably just the education.
[:[48:57] But I think what keeps them coming back is that connection that we've all kind of talked about.
[:[49:07] You can speak in your acronyms and you can talk about complex leave scenarios and you don't have to go back and level set or explain basics or have someone's eyes glaze over it like they understand, they really get you.
[:[49:27] So you find your crew and these, these are the folks that you,
[:[49:41] But I think it's more than networking, though. It's that professional support system. And like I said, that really lasts beyond conference.
[:[49:56] So, V, to wrap us up, for folks listening who have never attended a DMEC conference, and since this was your first DMEC conference as a staff member,
[: [:[50:17] the state updates and the resources that are available in real time,
[:[50:29] I feel that, you know,
[:[50:36] And as Jess had mentioned earlier,
[:[50:44] who've been through some of the same challenges.
[:[50:52] there's opportunity for you to jump in,
[:[50:56] swap stories, and just to meet new people.
[:[51:02] We are a family. We're committed to professionals who generally want to make a difference through the highs and lows of an employee's work life.
[:[51:15] and what I observed and took away was that the connections that you make there and the insights you gain will stick with you for life.
[: [:[51:38] and I just.
[:[51:52] It's still vastly different, just depending on what area you're practicing, what region in the US where,
[:[52:02] It's.
[: [:[52:16] Kristin did mention one of the sessions that's slated for our virtual annual conference coming up here right around the corner.
[:[52:30] So thank you all again. Appreciate your time. Thank you all so much.
[:[52:34] Jess Dudley: Thank you.
[:
