Managing employee leave can feel like being stuck in a maze. Take a wrong turn and you could end up violating employee privacy or paying costly noncompliance fines.
What’s worse is that new regulations pop up, at the state or federal level, adding new levels to the already complex labyrinth.
So how can HR professionals make sure they are supporting employees while staying compliant and meeting business needs?
First, it’s important to understand the basics of employee leave.
Employee Leave Basics
There are many different types of leave to navigate, including FMLA and short-term disability. Each type comes with its own requirements and compliance challenges.
Plus, regulations vary from state to state, so it’s crucial to know which laws apply where. On top of state requirements, the federal government has its own leave legislation.
Laws surrounding leave continue to evolve. Sometimes, just when you think you have it figured out, the government changes a requirement – leaving companies vulnerable to noncompliance fees and litigation.
On top of state and federal regulations, companies must develop their own leave policies. Add that to processing leave requests and tracking employee leave balances, and ensuring compliance can feel like a full-time job in itself.
When it’s time for an employee to return from leave, the process isn’t always straightforward either. Depending on the type of leave, companies may need to assign transitional work or retrieve a fitness-for-duty certificate from a health care professional. A detailed return to work program is essential for staying compliant and supporting employees as their leave ends.
CDB Can Help with Leave Administration
With the right partner, companies can get out of the maze of leave administration and get back to the work they set out to do.
Custom Design Benefits stays on top of all the latest rules and regulations so our clients don’t have to. We help reduce your risk of noncompliance and take the guesswork out of leave management.
When you partner with CDB for leave administration, you get:
- Experienced Administration: Our team navigates FMLA for our customers with the most up-to-date information paired with years of experience.
- Complete Tracking: Tracking provides proof of compliance and peace of mind. We track leave requests, correspondence and notifications plus absences, health insurance payments and more.
- Analytics and Reporting: Our advanced analysis tools help identify and reduce FMLA abuse. Standard reports are available through our employer portal, and our team can quickly provide ad-hoc reports.
- Independent Reviews: Our independent reviews provide objective, impartial and unbiased medical necessity determinations, making the process easier on you and adding value in legal recourse.
- Supervisor Training: Our team will train yours on using our services, FMLA and staying compliant. A consistent knowledge base translates to a consistent experience for your employees.
- Minimized Risk: Partnering with CDB not only makes your life easier, it can also reduce your exposure to noncompliance penalties, litigation and protect your employee’s privacy.
Navigating leave policies in a way that supports employees and keeps your company compliant is difficult for even the most experienced HR professional. But CDB’s clients don’t have to get stuck in the maze of leave administration because we do the hard part for you.
If you have questions about leave management and compliance, contact your Account Manager today.