The Partners Group Total Absence Management (TAM) practice is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, February 1st from 11:00am – 12:30pm PST, entitled “Effectively Managing Difficult FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Issues”.

Overview:

Human Resource professionals regularly cite FMLA administration as one of the most frustrating parts of their job. Throw in ADA for good measure and you end up with one nasty headache. FMLA Insights blog author and labor and employment attorney, Jeff Nowak, will take us through some of the most difficult FMLA and ADA compliance issues and offer practical steps employers can take to maximize compliance and minimize the headaches.

Jeff will cover topics such as:

  • Recognizing an employee’s need for FMLA leave. Is a text message good enough?
  • Whether an employer should designate FMLA leave on occasions when an employee does not want FMLA to apply.
  • Investigating employee conduct after social media posts show them acting inconsistently with their need for FMLA leave.
  • The latest on managing FMLA intermittent leave, seeking re-certification, and the value of second opinions.
  • The age-old question: Leave as an ADA reasonable accommodation – when is enough plenty?

Presenter:

Jeff Nowak, Co-chair of FranczekRadelet, Labor and Employment Practice

Jeff serves as co-chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice. Jeff provides private and public sector employers with advice and counsel on how to minimize legal risk so they can run the most profitable business and efficient operations without being side-tracked by discrimination claims, strikes or other workplace issues. From sensitive employee termination issues to high-level harassment investigations to protection of their trade secrets, Jeff partners with his clients to help them meet their business objectives. If litigation is unavoidable, Jeff is a zealous advocate for his clients, having built a successful track record in dismissing employment claims against employers at the earliest stage possible and at the lowest cost.

Jeff is widely recognized as one of the nation’s foremost FMLA and ADA experts, regularly counseling clients on compliance with FMLA and ADA regulations, conducting FMLA/ADA audits and training, and successfully litigating FMLA and ADA lawsuits. Jeff is the author of the highly regarded FMLA Insights blog, which has been selected for six consecutive years by the ABA Journal as one of the top 10 labor and employment blogs in the country (2011-2016) and was recently voted to the Journal’s Legal Blog Hall of Fame. Due to his FMLA focus, Jeff serves on the editorial board of the Family and Medical Leave Handbook, a comprehensive HR publication which addresses the complex requirements of the FMLA, and he also serves on the faculty of the National Employment Law Institute (NELI) in the areas of FMLA and ADA. He also is actively involved with the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) on issues relating to ADA and FMLA. Jeff is regularly quoted by business and legal publications on employment-related issues and is a frequent national presenter on employment law matters.

In addition to practicing law, Jeff just completed a term as an elected Village Trustee for the Village of LaGrange, Illinois. He also serves on the board of directors for Marist High School, a Catholic college preparatory school on Chicago’s southwest side and his alma mater. A self-proclaimed baseball fanatic (and avid Chicago White Sox fan), Jeff recently took break from his part-time job umpiring high school and semi-professional baseball so that he could coach his kids’ little league and travel baseball teams.

Jeff earned his J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, and his B.A. in political science from Indiana University, where he served as student body president. Contact Jeff: 312.786.6164, read his company bio or email Jeff.

Hosted by:

Jean Shearer, Benefits Consultant and Practice Lead, Total Absence Management, The Partners Group

Jean brings over 30 years of experience working with employers on the design and implementation of employee benefit plans and strategies. Her areas of expertise include: Total Absence Management, FMLA and ADA, health and productivity, financial analysis and data analytics. Contact Jean: 425.285.2304 or email Jean.

 

Patty Borst, Benefits Consultant and Practice Lead, Total Absence Management, The Partners Group

For over 30 years, Patty has been partnering with large employers to support their employee benefit needs. Areas of expertise include: Total Absence Management, including lost time, analysis, alternative health plan funding, wellness planning and design, financial benefit plan analysis, vendor management, enrollment and communications and long term care. Contact Patty: 503.726.5718 or email Patty.

 

About Total Absence Management (TAM):

Your company’s health starts with your employees’ health. When your employees aren’t working, your business doesn’t work at its best. Employee absence can have a profound effect on an organization’s costs, productivity and employee engagement. High cost claims. Absenteeism. Lost productivity.

Efficiently and effectively managing the complexity of Federal and State Leave Laws and ADA Accommodations is challenging at best. Consistently tracking leaves. Return to Work programs. Integration with other plans and procedures. Mitigating the risk of non-compliance. All play a key role in the total cost of absence and the health of your company and your employees.

Your Partner At Work

The Partners Group (TPG) knows that your employees are your most valuable asset. For the last 35 years, TPG has been partnering with employers to design, implement and measure Integrated Disability and Total Absence Management strategies that focus on the health and productivity of their most valuable asset – their workforce. Learn more about TPG Total Absence Management.