CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Unum (NYSE:UNM) and the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) are teaming up once again to offer a series of online educational forums on disability and absence management.
This year’s online forums will cover important topics relevant to employers and industry professionals including health and productivity programs, disability and absence management and updates on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
“The virtual forums continue to be a popular tool for employers and industry professionals to ensure they are up-to-date on the most current industry changes, trends and processes,” said Charlie Fox, chief executive officer for DMEC. “In addition to the topics covered and availability of resources through these forums, the virtual format is an easy and cost-effective way to meet ongoing educational needs.”
DMEC is the only non-profit devoted to integrated disability and absence management. Its membership represents employers from the Fortune 500 to those with fewer than 500 employees. For more than a decade Unum and DMEC have partnered on the Virtual Education Series, one of the first web-based learning forums in the industry.
“These forums are a great way for employers and industry professionals to come together to share expertise on the ever-changing world of disability and absence management,” said Kristin Tugman, assistant vice president of Health and Productivity at Unum. “The continued popularity and success of these forums is evidence that there is a strong interest in and need for a place to share ideas and information.”
The 2014 winter-spring forum schedule is as follows:
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Feb. 11: The psychology of return to work – This session will
demonstrate the influence employers can have on an employee’s
readiness to return to work following a long absence, effect of
returning to work and how the absence from work often influences an
employee’s behavior.
Presenters: Kristin Tugman, assistant vice president of Health and Productivity, Unum; Michelle Martin, director of Human Resources Specialty Services at CBS Corporation
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April 15: The multigenerational workforce – This session will
focus on the unique motivating factors among the different generations
in the workforce. There will be a particular emphasis on Gen Y and
their absence patterns, as well as suggestions for maximizing their
engagement and productivity.
Presenters: Heidi Bimrose, Health and Productivity consultant, Unum; Employer (TBD)
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June 10: The Affordable Care Act: Current impact – This session
will provide an update on the legislation, including statistics on
participation in the exchanges. Presenters will also talk about the
impact the ACA has or may have on disability and voluntary benefit
enrollment behavior.
Presenter: Andrew Molloy, assistant vice president of Health Management and Insurance Programs, Unum
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Sept. 16: FMLA regulations and legal update – This session will
provide an overview of new, current and pending FMLA regulations and
legal cases.
Presenters: Angela Ripper, assistant vice president, senior counsel, Unum; a senior FMLA officer, Department of Labor (TBD)
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Oct. 14: Behavioral health: Intervention strategies for an
ambiguous impairment – This session will address behavioral health
situations ranging from presenteeism to return to work.
Presenters: Kristin Tugman, assistant vice president of Health and Productivity, Unum; Employer (TBD)
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Nov. 11: ADAAA: What you need to know in 2014 – This session
will focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act including
settlements, litigation and court decisions.
Presenters: Betsy Stivers, assistant vice president, senior counsel, Unum; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission representative (TBD)
These sessions are held on Tuesdays at noon Eastern/ 9 a.m. Pacific. The one-hour presentations will be followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session. To register, visit www.dmec.org and select Virtual Education Forums under the Conferences & Events tab.
ABOUT UNUM
Unum Group (www.unum.com) is a leading provider of financial protection benefits in the United States and the United Kingdom. Unum’s portfolio includes disability, life, accident and critical illness coverage, which help protect millions of working people and their families in the event of an illness or injury. The company reported revenues of $10.5 billion in 2012, and its subsidiaries – Unum US, Colonial Life and Unum UK – provided $6.3 billion in benefits last year.
For more information visit us at www.unum.com or connect with us at www.facebook.com/unumbenefits, www.twitter.com/unumnews and www.linkedin.com/company/unum.
About DMEC
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) is a non-profit organization that provides educational resources to employers in the areas of disability, absence, health, and productivity. The primary goal of DMEC is to assist employers in developing cost-saving programs, encouraging responsive market products, and returning employees to productive employment. Visit www.dmec.org for more information about educational publications and events.
