HR Trends (Unum )

To close out the first season of the HR Trends podcast, Clare Morin welcomes futurist Ravin Jesuthasan, co-author of the new book Work without Jobs, and Greg Till, EVP and Chief People Officer of Providence Health Systems. They discuss how the pandemic has accelerated ten years of transformation in two years, and what the future holds for workers and employers.  

Key Takeaways

• The pandemic put the tech-fueled transformation of the workplace on hyperdrive. “Alvin Toffler wrote about in 1970 that we’d soon all be living in electronic cottages, liberated from the offices,” Jesuthasan says. “Yet as of March 2020, only 6% of jobs were being done remotely full time. That number went to 56% overnight.” (4:40) 
• The new focus is on flexibility, resilience, and agility. “We talk about these black swan events as though they’re the rarest of beasts, but we’ve had at least three major shocks the past 20 years—we had 9/11, we had the financial crisis, and COVID. [There’s a need] to be prepared for both shocks and opportunities, that’s what we see as really being at the heart of this pivot toward agility.” (8:30)
• Predictive hiring lets you get ahead of the labor market. “We can predict our hiring needs based on patient volumes and revenues with about 90­­–­95% accuracy,” says Till. “It typically takes five months to fill an ICU nurse role, and we can open up the requisition five months in advance of someone leaving.” (14:30)
• Reducing the dull and the dangerous through automation. Nurse scheduling, which would take a human hours to complete, can be done in about ten seconds using artificial intelligence and machine learning – while considering employee preferences and accommodating flexibility. It’s saved Providence Health an estimated $130 million. (15:00)
• Fluidity will create a more human-centered enterprise. “We’ve gone from very structured approaches to work, where people/humans were cogs in the machine,” says Jesuthasan. “Tight and precise job definitions, job architectures that were tied to the way processes were executed, one-to-one relationship between person and role.”  (18:31)
• Businesses shouldn’t be intimidated by the scale of possible change. “Don’t let it be daunting,” says Till. “A lot of things in Ravin’s book—in healthcare, because we’re highly regulated, we can’t implement wholesale.  We’re taking some really pragmatic aspects of a visionary philosophy and applying it in reality. Saving 130 million dollars and staffing more effectively to meet our community’s needs.” (28:00)

Featured speakers: 

Ravin Jesuthasan
Global Leader for Transformation Services, Mercer

Ravin Jesuthasan is the global leader of Mercer’s Transformation Services business. He is recognized globally as a thought leader, futurist and author on the future of work and workforce transformation. Ravin has led numerous research projects for the World Economic Forum including many of its groundbreaking studies on the transformation of work and the global workforce. 

 Greg Till
Chief People Officer
Providence Health Systems

Greg Till is the Chief People Officer of Providence Health Systems. In this role, Greg and his team aim to transform healthcare by bringing their innovative vision for the future of work to life. Using modern technology, unique partnerships, and grounded in Providence’s mission, Greg’s HR team has been able to effectively predict and shape labor needs, optimize workforce utilization, and significantly lower costs, while improving employee experience and strengthening the culture. 

In the first episode of season two of the HR Trends podcast, Clare Morin speaks to Brian Kropp, Chief of Research and Distinguished Vice President at Gartner, and Polly Nicholas, Senior Vice President and Head of Solutions at Unum Group, about the fundamental shifts happening in HR and how business leaders who respond to the holistic needs of their employees will win the talent and retention game. 

Key takeaways

As the line between work and home have become blurred, it’s caused a reconsideration of the place of work in an employee’s life.  (7:55)

This requires a different approach and a new type of leader.  (9:35)

This shift can also be seen in what employers and employees want in terms of benefits. (11:40)

Supporting employees in this broader, more holistic way is also better for business. “When organizations are more effective at meeting the mental health needs, the family needs, the community needs of their employees,” says Kropp, “Those employees perform at a higher level, are less likely to quit, they are more engaged with their work, they sleep better at night, and the list goes on and on.  By improving the lives of our employees, we help the performance of our organizations.” (13:15)

Employee leave programs are becoming focused around personas. “Even the leave and time off conversation used to be this big block of people who just needed to take time off. And tomorrow, it’s about a persona,” says Nicholas. “And it’s how we begin to shift thinking about leave policies and compliance, to what does a person need who’s planning a leave? What does a person need when they have a very unplanned event and there’s an emergent moment happening? How are those needs different? And how are we surrounding them, and back to Corie Barry’s sort of scaffolding, how are we surrounding them because there’s this opportunity to offer solutions that do just that.” (28:20)

 External shocks -- the pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and the war in Ukraine -- have turned ideas about good management on their head. “The focus up to now has been on efficiency, on stripping costs as much as possible,” explains Kropp. “When we have a management strategy that is maximizing efficiency, we also have a strategy that is unwittingly maximizing fragility. It’s like inflating a balloon with as much air as possible right up to the point where it breaks. That strategy is fine if there’s nothing in the environment that can cause a balloon to break. What we’ve realized is there’s lots of things in the environment that can cause the balloon to break.” (31:00)

Featured speakers: 

Brian Kropp 
Chief of Research and Distinguished Vice President, Gartner

Brian Kropp oversees the lines of business that support Chief Human Resources Officers and their leadership teams. He works with this cadre of leaders to develop strategic plans that will attract and retain top talent. Dr. Kropp has authored more than 40 research studies at Gartner, led more than 200 strategy sessions with executive teams at Fortune 100 companies and more than 300 Executive Education sessions across the globe.  

Polly Nicholas
Senior Vice President and Head of Solutions, Unum Group

Polly Nicholas is the Senior Vice President and Head of Solutions at Unum Group. With more than 20 years of experience driving growth and operational improvement and a passion for connecting people, purpose and results, Nicholas leads Unum’s rapidly expanding solutions businesses, attracting new clients and expanding the support provided through a suite of technology-first solutions including Unum Total Leave™, Behavioral Health and Unum HR Connect solutions. Prior to Unum, Nicholas held leadership roles at global firms Alight Solutions and Aon Hewitt.

The pandemic didn’t create the need for workplace transformation, but it definitely accelerated it. Listen as two experts in industrial organizational psychology discuss the importance of creating an employee experience that fulfills the evolving needs of the 21st-century worker, and how purposeful employee listening can have a powerful effect on an organization’s ability to create a superior experience for their customers.

Episode details:
What is industrial organizational psychology? It’s the study of how business shapes humans and humans shape business — or how to maximize systems and experiences across all parts of the talent lifecycle to encourage people to be their best at work. [3:30]

Why is the employee experience so important right now? A huge portion of the workforce is now actively thinking about what’s important to them at work, what motivates them, what brings them joy and satisfaction. Employers need to understand these desires — in terms of culture, environment, career development, etc. — so they can keep the employees they have and attract those outside the organization who are looking to make a change.  [6:00]

Is this all because of the pandemic? The big trends affecting the workplace now — with people wanting more flexibility, inclusion, diversity and autonomy — have been bubbling up for years. What the pandemic did was drive the need for solutions. [7:30]

Where does the customer come in?  The experience you provide your employees directly affects the experience they provide for your customers. Investing in employees and listening to them helps you embed your mission as their North Star, and results will follow. [10:00]

What does “employee listening” really mean? Employee listening is the process of collecting, paying attention to and responding to feedback from your employees. Employees will only invest their time in providing feedback if it is acknowledged and if you respond by taking what actions you can. You must also be sure to communicate the actions you’ve taken. [13:30]

What are some best practices for implementing an employee listening program? Generally, employee listening takes the form of employee surveys. You need balance the frequency of your surveys with your ability to take action. As your process matures, you can increase the frequency, or add in feedback from the entire employee journey. Be sure you understand your infrastructure for feedback and taking action, as well as your culture. These will determine how quickly you can effect change. [18:00]

Featured speakers

Anna L. Hulett, Ph.D.
XM Scientist, Qualtrics

Anna Hulett is an Industrial Organizational (IO) Psychologist with over 10 years of experience leveraging data-driven insights to understand the interdependencies between business strategy and the employee experience, ultimately empowering clients across industries and organizational contexts to build a better workplace. Anna’s expertise in employee listening design and analytics, paired with her experience in strategic human capital management, allows her to provide comprehensive employee experience solutions across the employee lifecycle.

Dora Clements, J.D.
Vice President of Digital Transformation, Unum Group

Dora Clements is leading change efforts for both the Unum and Colonial Life brands — and is specifically focused on improving the customer experience through delivering digital-first experiences inclusive of customer portals, process optimization and automation. Dora has been with Unum Group since 2013, supporting business and technology in various roles in the client administration space, including managing operational teams, supporting admin platform development, and leading transformation efforts.

The swift rise in inflation and worries about a potential recession have taken a financial and emotional toll on employees. In this episode, financial and wellbeing experts — Martha Leiper, Carl Gagnon and Laurie Mitchell — share their insights about what’s driving inflation and the practical steps organizations can take to support the people that power their business. 

Key Takeaways

Several factors are increasing the inflation pressure on the economy. Many businesses are grappling with rising supply costs and shortages, as well as a tight labor market and wage inflation. And businesses are having to pass those costs to their customers. [7.12]

Workers are often not aware about their employer’s resources. Most employers offer some resources for emotional and mental health wellbeing and it’s important to build awareness around them before workers get to a place of severe stress. [12:48]

Know your risk tolerance. Take control of what you can. “A time of turmoil is not a time to panic and sell your investments, because you will be selling at low valuation. “If you’re close to retirement, you should be out of the more volatile securities,” said Martha Leiper. “But if you’re young in your career, don’t panic, these types of times tend to create good buying opportunities, and the markets will correct, and your savings will grow over time.” [13.59]

Diversify savings to ride economic cycles. Offer employees more saving options to respond to different needs, such as building an emergency savings fund, and asset diversification for their retirement plans. [17.13]

Engage employees in different ways. Find a balance in addressing the benefit needs of a diverse workforce. And offer workers easy options to engage, including in-person, phone and virtual. [22:09]

Design programs across the spectrum of total rewards. Employees want to engage, but they’re also concerned about their personal privacy. “Whether you’re dealing with financial or mental health — it’s about engaging the employees to use the tools that are there and being pleasantly surprised at what those tools can offer an employee,” said Carl Gagnon. [22:36]

Featured Speakers 

Martha Leiper
Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Unum

Martha Leiper is responsible for the investment and asset management strategies of Unum’s portfolio. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Chattanooga Food Bank and River City Company, and on the Investment Committee with the Chattanooga Community Foundation. 

Carl Gagnon
Assistant Vice President, Financial Wellbeing & Retirement Programs, Unum

Carl Gagnon is responsible for the day-to-day operations, regulatory oversight and compliance of the Unum global financial well-being and retirement programs, including the Defined Benefit, Defined Contribution and Non-Qualified retirement plans and various flex benefit programs offered within its international operations. 

Laurie Mitchell

Assistant Vice President, Global Wellbeing & Health Management, Unum

Laurie Mitchell took a slightly nontraditional career path for a registered dietitian nutritionist and has been leading comprehensive employer-sponsored population health and well-being strategy for more than 22 years. Her work focuses on actively engaging employees in their well-being through a mix of innovative programs, benefits, policies and health-forward environmental approaches. 

Navigating the transition from working professional to working mom is no mean feat. Denise Chase of The Mom Project stops by to talk about her own journey, as well as how the Mom Project is changing the script and accelerating female workforce participation. Listen as she discusses best practices for getting parents back in to the workforce and increasing their productivity. 

In the new world of work, “being human” has never been more important. Employers sit at the center of the families and communities they serve, and it's an exciting time to see how the prioritization of workers can help fuel humanity at scale. Listen as Jason and Polly discuss the importance of infusing humanity into the digital world of work, while proving that HR programs do what they set out to do. 

As a talent strategist in this tight labor market, Robin gives her insights on finding ways to encourage internal mobility and expanding the candidate pool by looking at skills instead of job descriptions. And why is Robin skeptical of candidate-matching software? Listen to find out. 

Swapnil stops by to talk about keeping people at the heart of HR tech. She discusses how Unum’s Behavioral Health solution centers people by being a full lifecycle solution meant for those anywhere on the mental health spectrum. And she talks about the grit HR leaders will need as the new normal of work becomes more defined. Listen to learn more. 

As a talent expert, Tim weighs in on the high level of venture capital investment being directed at HR tech and what it means for the future of attracting and retaining employees. Listen to hear him discuss why HR needs to improve quantitative success metrics and devise new ways to access and develop talent in a labor shortage that is not going away anytime soon. 

Why is an insurance carrier at Workday Rising? Rich and Polly relate how Unum was the first carrier to become a software partner with Workday®, allowing the two systems to directly exchange data in real time without file feeds. Listen to learn how Unum HR Connect helps Workday users reclaim time spent on benefits administration, leave management and evidence of insurability. 

Clare talks us through what's coming from our recent interviews  at the HR Technology Conference 2022 in Las Vegas. 

The conference saw the release of new research from The Josh Bersin Company: The Global Workforce Intelligence Project. Kathi discusses such findings as the looming shortage of nurses, with insights on improving the employee experience to keep nurses in their jobs. And what creative solution is Amazon employing to help solve the shortage? Listen to find out.

Burnout is at epidemic levels in the U.S. and innovative companies are tackling this problem head-on. Adam – a winner of the HR Tech Product of the Year – discusses the deeply personal stories that led to his company’s creation. “Time off hasn’t been touched in decades,” he says. “There has to be a better way to optimize and utilize it.” Listen to find out how is AI being leveraged to improve employee experience.

Jess believes we currently have an opportunity to remake work on more equitable terms. Employers need to remove barriers for people – working moms being a prime example – instead of always demanding that people overcome those barriers. She believes gender and race pay gaps should be considered corporate criminal behavior. And why does she says technology by itself is not the solution? Listen to find out. 

“Employee leave needs to be revolutionized,” says Ellen McCann. Listen to this acclaimed national thought leader as Amanda Neely presents some key questions employers have about leave. We cover the vital importance of employee education, how digital access allows employees to do their own scenario planning, and how tech opens up holistic experiences like lactation rooms and mental health support.

The HR Tech conference is no longer about the latest gadget – it’s about the end results. Listen as Steve discusses how businesses can draw a straight line from employee well-being to increased productivity, talent retention and absenteeism reduction – with programs and software that create huge impacts for employees and their families alike. He also discusses what’s next for HR tech in 2023. 

Employee benefits have taken a huge leap in importance, according to two new studies from the insurance-industry research group LIMRA. Listen as LIMRA’s Kelly Landry and Unum Group’s Cindy Nevers discuss five mega trends expected to change the industry – and enrollment tips for employers to implement now. The full reports are available to LIMRA members, and previewed in this special episode for HR Trends listeners. 

• The studies: The first annual BEAT (Benefits and Employee Attitude) Tracker study surveyed employees to determine how benefits intersect with employee attitudes toward work. Harnessing Growth and Seizing Opportunity: The Future of Workforce Benefits presents megatrends to watch in the next several years, distilled from the insights of key industry stakeholders. [04:36]
• See the free LIMRA infographic [A1] on what employees think about work. [07:21]
• Money isn’t everything, especially for millennials: Only about 30% of millennials said salary was the top reason to choose an employer. The rest prioritized factors like work/life balance, flexibility and benefits. [10:38]
• Benefits education and communication are vitally important: All stakeholders agree that helping employees understand their benefits is of mounting importance, especially for supplemental benefits.
•  Rethink the emphasis on total self-service for benefits, especially for younger workers who have less experience buying and using insurance coverage [12:00]
• More is more: There is a strong correlation between employee satisfaction and the number of benefitsoffered. With five generations in the workforce, employers need to offer a large number of benefits employees can choose from based on their individual circumstances. See the free LIMRA infographic on what employees think about benefits. [20:38]
• Rethink your benefits spend: Because employees value quantity and choice, it may not always make senseto commit the vast majority of benefits spending to offering the most generous health insurance plan. Supplementing a less generous plan with voluntary benefits like accident and critical illness can offer similar protection for employees while allowing them to tailor benefits to fit their age, lifestyle, income and other circumstances. [23:38]
• Brokers aren’t going anywhere, but their role will likely change: As it gets easier to obtain digital quotes for benefits, employers will call upon brokers more for advice, guidance and strategy consultation [26:07]
•  Enlisting leadership in the communication effort will make employees feel more valued. [32:00]

Featured speakers 

Kimberly Landry
Associate Research Director, LIMRA

Kimberly Landry is an Associate Research Director for Workplace Benefits Research at LIMRA. She conducts quantitative and qualitative research on hot topics within the employee benefits industry, with a specific focus on employer and employee perspectives. 

 Cindy Nevers
National Sales Leader Voluntary Benefits, Unum Group 

In her more than 30 years with Unum Group, Cindy Nevers has held a wide range of leadership roles for both Unum and Colonial Life brands. She has led oversight for Group Client Services, Global Services/Project Implementation & Journey transformation, Field Operations and Field Compensation, and Client Management. Cindy led national broker strategy at Colonial Life and most recently became the National Sales Leader for Voluntary Benefits at Unum.  

Leave has never been more important to employees than it is right now. But HR has also never had more on its plate. Listen as Unum leave experts discuss the policies, practices and technology that can make the difference between a best-in-class employee leave experience and one that misses the mark, putting your attraction and retention efforts at risk.

·       A perfect storm. Rising employee expectations, a tough labor market and increasing legal complexity are creating a perfect storm for leave management professionals. HR’s role has become increasingly strategic, and they can’t spend time being bogged down in managing administrative tasks. [02:52]

·       Emerging importance of employee experience. Nationally, employers have shifted from focusing on paid leave to making the leave experience easier and more personalized. [05:35]

·       Bad experiences work against your recruitment and retention goals. If you have great policies, but people don’t know about them or you make it hard to use them, that’s a bad experience. Education and ease of use are critical to success. Employers also need to have holistic policies that address their entire employee population, instead of just focusing on families with children. For example, caregiving needs are growing for employees with aging parents. [07:32]

·       Combine self-service, planning tools and human interaction for the best experience. Compliance is important, but don’t forget that every leave represents a challenging life event for employees.[10:15]

·       Look for ways to take the burden off HR’s shoulders.  The result will be higher retention and more people returning from leave ready to work. [14:06]

 Featured speakers
Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Leave Solutions, Unum Group 

Ellen McCann serves as a leading expert in applying benefits and benefits technology to power modern solutions to more effective employee leave programs, stronger regulatory compliance and enhanced digital HR transformation. In this role, she combines more than 30 years of employment law experience with practical knowledge of the complexities of leave and accommodation management to help develop and create solutions that enable employers to address the challenges of leave and accommodations. She is an acclaimed national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA, and is a certified trainer for SHRM and CE credit.

Miyuki Iwahashi
Assistant Vice President, Leave Tech Solutions, Unum Group 

Miyuki Iwahashi drives the product strategy for new enhancements for Unum Leave Logic – an industry-leading leave education and planning SaaS solution – and supports initiatives for Unum’s rapidly expanding solutions business. In this role, Miyuki interacts with employers, employees and partners to understand how technology solutions can enhance the employee experience and revolutionize the future of leave in the workplace. Prior to joining Unum, Miyuki pioneered innovative employee programs, including a redesign of an employee-centered leave program and was recognized for her work.

Belonging is one of the most important aspects of the employee experience in today’s world of work. We talk to two powerful HR leaders, Khady Gaye of United Airlines and Kimberly Bowen of Unum, on how you can help create a culture of genuine care.

Megan Rapinoe is the captain of the U.S. National Women's Soccer Team, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup champion. On March 2, she was named in TIME’s 2023 Women of the Year list of extraordinary leaders working toward a more equal world. In this episode, Megan joins Unum leave expert Ellen McCann for a frank and lively discussion on pay equity, inclusive leave policies and other ways employers can demonstrate care for employees facing challenging times.

• The call to “be more.” After the national team’s second World Cup victory in 2019, Rapinoe challenged everyone to “step outside of yourself, be more, be better, be bigger than you’ve ever been before.” Applying this to the HR context, she said it is a charge to make an impact on your organization and on the lives of your employees. [02:46]
• The rise of the care opportunity. Employee needs and demands for support from their employers are growing, and are key drivers of attraction and retention. According to Ellen, leave is critical in this equation: “Companies focus so much on employees at work. What about those times when our employees can’t come to work?” [07:33]
• The importance of inclusive policies. Employers show caring by implementing leave and benefit policies that are inclusive and equitable, addressing the needs of all caregivers and relationships, not just parents and children. [11:19]
• Pay equity as a signal of caring. Equitable pay shows employees that employers care about them as individuals. [12:18]
• Pay equity as a driver of attraction and retention. In a still-tight labor market, employees have new power to negotiate pay. The pay-equity fight won by the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team has had far-reaching effects on the environment worldwide, and women are more aware than ever of what they deserve and what they require. [19:32]
• Steps to an effective pay-equity program. Think through where your company has been and where it wants to go, identifying areas where it is still falling short and why. Apologize for mistakes in the past. Make pay equity an authentic priority and act to fulfill your promises. [23:39]
• The importance of the employee experience. Caring and inclusiveness extend to the experience employees have while accessing the benefits you provide. [29:18]

Featured speakers
Megan Rapinoe
Chief Equality Officer, Trusaic

Megan Rapinoe is a difference maker on a global scale. She is the captain of the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team, an Olympic gold medalist, and a two-time World Cup champion, renowned for her activism. In February 2022, after a lengthy legal battle led by Rapinoe, the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team reached a historic equal pay agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation, which included $22 million in back pay for the players and the promise of equal pay going forward. Today, Megan Rapinoe is Chief Equality Officer for Trusaic – a leading workplace equity company focused on advancing social good by solving HR's most complex challenges across people, data and analytics. 

Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Leave Solutions, Unum Group

Ellen McCann serves as a leading expert in applying benefits and benefits technology to power modern solutions to more effective employee leave programs, stronger regulatory compliance and enhanced digital HR transformation.


Read more about Megan Rapinoe, one of TIME’s 2023 Women of the Year, at https://trusaic.com/megan-rapinoe-partnership/. For more information about Unum, visit https://www.unum.com/employers/solutions 

Two new reports illustrate that employee expectations are high and getting higher. A March 2023 Unum survey shows that 87% of employers recognize that their employees expect more from them in terms of care and understanding.1 And the latest “BEAT” study from LIMRA shows that employees overwhelmingly value paid time off and other leave and insurance benefits, even more than flexible work schedules.2 In this episode, two of the foremost U.S. leave experts — Unum’s Ellen McCann and Angel Bennett — discuss the implications for employers in this tough post-pandemic labor market.  

• Employers are catching up.  [01:47]
• Diversity is driving change.  [04:30]
• Complexity is here to stay. [06:03]
• Paid leave is getting hotter.[07:11]
• Employers can’t do it alone. [09:40]
• Companies that outsource free up time. [10:37]
• Care impacts the bottom line.  [14:38]
• One key message? [17:28]

Read the full show notes here. 

Curt Burghardt and Denise Ferguson, Unum HR leaders and people analytics experts, explore how real-time data connectivity with leave and absence information transforms efficiency, transparency and downstream processes for employers managing leave in Workday.®

•  People analytics is more than just basic reporting.  [03:49]
• Real-time connectivity simplifies leave processes. [06:42]
• Simplicity saves time and creates a better experience. [08:33]
• Connectivity helps solve the challenge of intermittent leave.  [10:24]

WORKDAY and the WORKDAY logo are trademarks of Workday, Inc. registered in the United States and elsewhere. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Featured speakers

Curt Burghardt 
 Vice President, People Delivery Group, Unum 

In his role as Vice President of the People Delivery Group at Unum, Curt Burghardt drives how the organization leverages cutting-edge technology to transform the employee experience — among our own employees and in close partnership with key business partners and customer facing initiatives. Curt lives in Portland, Maine with his wife and their two children. He has lived across the United States — from Hawaii to Boston and several places in between, including Chicago, San Francisco and Denver — during his previous roles with both Walgreens and United Airlines. 

Denise Ferguson 
 Assistant Vice President, People & Communications Technology 

Denise Ferguson is the AVP of People & Communications Technology. She joined Unum in April of 2015 as the AVP of HR Technology. Her responsibilities include enabling strategy through the use of cutting-edge technology and delivery of the technology roadmap for human resources, diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility and corporate communications. Prior to her role at Unum, Denise was the Senior Director of Human Resources Information Systems for Smith & Nephew. Before moving into dedicated technology roles, Denise held various functional HR roles in recruiting and compensation, and served as a HRBP and HR Manager for RSA Security, Inc. in Bedford, Massachusetts. Denise earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Boston University.

New research from LIMRA and EY shows that workplaces have reached a “generational tipping point.” Millennials and Gen Z employees now make up the majority of the workforce — and are on pace to constitute 60% by 2031.1 These younger workers (42 years old and under) have different benefit preferences from the Baby Boomers and Gen X cohorts for whom benefits have traditionally been designed, and greater needs when it comes to benefits education and enrollment. LIMRA’s Kimberly Landry joined John Stibal from Unum and Michael Stachowiak from Colonial Life to discuss how HR should react to this profound generational shift.

• A much broader view. According to Landry, LIMRA’s second annual Benefits and Employee Attitude Tracker (BEAT) study shows that younger employees still want core benefits above all else.  But they also want their benefits package to include a wider variety of supplemental health, wellness, mental health and other benefits. “The benefit programs of the future need to be more customizable and provide more options for employees to pick and choose from,” says Landry. [02:02]
• More choice means more confusion. As employers offer a larger number of benefits, they will need to increase their efforts to educate younger benefit consumers, according to Stachowiak. Stibal agrees that education is important to making informed decisions because with choice, “your employer is not making the decisions for you any longer.” [04:00]
• More benefits are more important. According to the LIMRA/EY Harnessing growth and seizing opportunity: 2023 Workforce Benefits Study, employers and employees both assign a high degree of importance to a fairly long list of benefit options. To compete effectively for talent, employers need to show that their benefits portfolio contains a wide range of choices to fit employees’ differing needs. “About half of the employers in our survey told us they expect to be increasing the number of benefits that they offer in the next five years,” Landry says. [06:30]
• The biggest change since last year? Importance of leave. Employer perception of the importance of paid family and medical leave benefits jumped 26% over last year, as shown in the LIMRA/EY study. “Paid family leave sounds simple, but it’s really, really complicated for employers,” says Stibal. Between complying with multiple federal, state and local leave laws and creating a good experience for employees administering leave is a challenging issue for employers. Employers may want to outsource [A1] leave management to a carrier who can provide a good combination of technology and human support. [13:00]
• How does all this factor into enrollment? As employers offer more benefits and as employees need more education, it’s important to be mindful about how you roll out your benefits enrollment. Some best practices:

1. Spread communication out over time in a drip campaign instead of bombarding employees with an overwhelming amount of information all at once. 
2. Talk about only one or two benefits at a time, so employees can pay equal attention to all their options. 
3. Communicate more about brand-new or unfamiliar benefits. 
4. Encourage employees to start enrolling early in the enrollment window, so they have time to ask questions and make informed decisions. [27:12]

Clare Morin speaks to Jenn Lim, bestselling author and speaker known for her work on happiness and workplace well-being, and Swapnil Prabha, Vice President of Workforce Wellness Solutions at Unum Group focusing on employee benefits and mental health. They discuss topics related to authentic leadership, mental health and workplace well-being. 

Authentic Leadership: Lim emphasizes the importance of authentic leadership in today's working world. She defines authentic leadership as being true to one's authentic self and emphasizes that it involves self-awareness and addressing both strengths and weaknesses. “Just be real and be weird and like everyone's weird in their own way. And why not cherish that and celebrate it, says Lim.” [11:55]

The Greenhouse Model: Lim introduces the "Greenhouse Model," which focuses on first nurturing one's own well-being and values. She says, “I went to more of this metaphor of growth. No matter who we talk to in the world, there's no one that wants to not grow.” Lim emphasizes that authentic leaders should start by grounding themselves and understanding their purpose and values. [16:55]

Tools for Thriving: Lim discusses tools for thriving in the workplace, including fostering psychological safety, creating a sense of belonging, embracing accountability, and building meaningful connections. Lim highlights the importance of aligning individual and organizational values: “So therefore we have a new social contract together.”  [19:35]

Looking Ahead: The discussion concludes with a focus on the future of work. Lim suggests that leaders need to prioritize well-being and encourage teams to find meaning and balance in their work. Prabha emphasizes the importance of shaping company cultures that support mental health and well-being. She encourages leaders to ask for help and hold their partners and solution providers accountable when it comes to employee benefits and mental health support. As Prabha says, “I want to see what are the clinical outcomes? Is my employee population actually getting better?” [26:05]

Featured Speakers 

Jenn Lim 

CEO at Delivering Happiness | Bestselling Author | Global Workplace Expert

Jenn Lim is the bestselling author of Beyond Happiness and has been named one of the world's top 50 keynote speakers. She's had the privilege of leading a company to the INC 5000 fastest growing list, sitting on the global Happiness Council of Work and Well-Being and working with hundreds of companies from Fortune 500 and best places to work to startups and governments. Her mission is both simple and profound to teach businesses how to create workplaces, lead with happiness and humanity that generate more profit, sustain all people at every level of the organization, and share how we can make an impact by being true to our authentic selves.

Swapnil Prabha 

Vice President, Workforce Wellness Solutions — Unum Group

A thought leader in the insurance industry, Swapnil Prabha's work is helping to shape the digital future of employee benefits. She has helped to develop solutions such as Unum Behavioral Health, which addresses the full continuum of mental health for employees from baseline measurement to a complete range of easily accessible resources and therapeutic interventions. She also leads strategic direction and capability priorities for Unum Leave Logic — an industry-leading leave education and planning SaaS solution.

According to Harris, the most important question for 2024 is “Do we have the data?” Hear about Sapient Insight Group’s newest research and why Harris believes transformational leave management is a key HR priority this coming year. “Don’t just do change management,” she says, “manage the change. Employees are burning out. Give your executives a reality check.”

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

With generative AI and cutting-edge technology, HR professionals have an opportunity to reimagine the world of work for future generations. However, Von Bank believes HR professionals must first change their mindset and become business transformation agents. Listen as she reflects on emerging technology and how HR can lead a revolution to fuel change.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Organizations change every 90 days, says Stelzner, and transparency and consistency will be key to helping employees thrive in 2024. If organizations are open about what they do and don’t know, who they are and who they aspire to be, employees can self-direct and HR can enable. Listen to learn how HR can lean into leadership this coming year.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Along with Polly Nicholas, Senior Vice President of Unum Solutions at Unum Group, Williams explores the challenges HR will face in 2024, including the multigenerational workforce, burnout, and how “40% of employees can’t come up with $400 today.” He urges HR to be bold: “We can’t go in the boardroom meek; we need to go in with ROI and a point of view.” Listen to learn about HR tech solutions that help meet this mandate.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

“People are struggling,” says Dr. Conrad. “IQ is down since the ‘70s; emotional intelligence has been going down; chronic conditions are on the rise. We need to figure this out because these are our people, our employees, our customers.” Hear why he believes HR needs to get more sophisticated at understanding people on an individual level.Erin Casey, Vice President of Platform Partnerships at Unum Group, moderates the discussion.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Listen to Achille discuss this year’s Women in HR Tech Summit and how it has evolved to include broader diversity topics, such as pay equity and inclusion. With today’s multigenerational workforce, Achille says inclusion and belonging should be a major focus for HR in 2024.  

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

With five generations in the workforce, HR teams are grappling with how best to support their diverse employees. Tune in to hear Youssef share advice for fostering authentic, meaningful connections that will help employees thrive as well as ways to better support women in the workforce. Swapnil Prabha, Vice President of Workforce Wellness Solutions at Unum Group, moderates the discussion.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Every HR organization is undergoing perpetual transformation. “We live in a world where change is no longer the enemy — it has to be the strategy,” Averbook says. “Building an agile muscle is a mindset HR has to have in 2024.” Listen as he explains how tools like generative AI can help us rethink everything we do if we’re ready to “perpetually unlearn.”

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Hear Zalis talk about the five dimensions of a well-rounded life and how to protect those “slices of the pie” to succeed in work and at home. Learn about “life-stage accommodation” and why it is so important for employers to offer inclusive policies that show empathy and care. “When purpose meets passion,” Zalis tells HR, “you are unstoppable.” Chelsea Lugiano, Customer Engagement Manager at Unum Group, moderates the discussion.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Fresh off his standing-room-only talk at the Workday Rising and HR Tech conference session, Lappin explores the real-time data integrations offered to Workday customers through Unum Total Leave and Unum HR Connect. Tune in to hear how the constantly changing workforce and complex compliance landscape have increased the importance of employee leave in 2024. 

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Listen in as Bussing discusses pay equity and the gender gap. She shares advice from her conference session about looking at the work — comparing “skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions” — to get the pay right. To help employees thrive in 2024, she says, HR pros need to be more efficient and intentional. 

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

How can we modernize outdated performance management processes? Listen as Aitken discusses strategies to improve employee performance and in turn strengthen the performance of the company. One example: equipping managers with the tools to become more effective coaches. 

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Schooling takes listeners into the macro-level conversations she’s hearing at this year’s HR Technology Conference & Exposition. HR practitioners are finally showing more interest in technology, she says, but they must keep exploring ways to effectively and responsibly use those tools. Those who don’t may get left behind in 2024. 

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Tune in to hear Boese review his 15 years at the HR Tech conference and the innovative ideas he’s seeing at this year’s Pitchfest, where startups bring new ideas to the fore. According to Boese, one of the top challenges for HR in 2024 is embracing technology more meaningfully. “AI can’t teach us how to love,” he says, so we must find ways to use technology while preserving the human touch.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Miller-Merrell delivers an inspiring message for HR: “Be the change you want to see and challenge those around you to be inclusive and supportive.” HR has a critical role to play in workplace wellness, including leaning into conversations about domestic violence. “Normalize these topics,” she says and create systems to get employees what they need. Swapnil Prabha, Vice President of Workforce Wellness Solutions at Unum Group, moderates the discussion.

Unum took its Gartner Marketing Award-winning HR Trends podcast studio on the road (again) to the 2023 HR Technology Conference & Exposition, held October 10–13 in Las Vegas. Listen as HR Trends host Clare Morin and others interview some of the biggest influencers in the HR tech world. You’ll hear their expert opinions on how technology will change the HR profession and improve the employee experience through 2024 and beyond. 

Top FMLA mistakes: Misunderstanding eligibility 

Ellen McCann, a national expert on leave management joins us to give an overview to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). She unpacks the most common eligibility errors that employers make while administering the FMLA – and why correctly determining eligibility is such a crucial first step. 

Top takeaways:

• Be sure to take all required factors into account when determining whether an employee is eligible for FMLA leave. It’s your crucial first step in FMLA compliance. [01:39]
• Once an employer is covered for one year, they’re covered for two years. Check your math: Did you have at least 50 employees on your payroll for at least 20 weeks this year or last year? [04:03]
• The only employees you don’t count are expats and independent contractors. You do need to count temps. [05:20]
• Remember there are different standards for covered employers and covered employees. You may have no covered employees, but as an employer you may still have obligations. [06:34]
• You don’t have to count leaves of absence in your hours worked, apart from instances of military leave. However, be careful to count hours worked by temp workers. [10:05]

To understand more about employee eligibility and the risks of improperly deeming eligibility, listen to next week’s show, “Deeming when you shouldn’t.” 

About the speaker:
Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel, Unum’s Employment Law Group

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA. She is also a certified trainer for SHRM and CE credit. As Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel for Unum’s Employment Law Group, Ellen advises Human Resources on all employment-related legal issues. She also provides daily legal support to Unum’s Absence Management Center, which provides leave administration services to its customers. Presently, Unum’s leave administration product includes administration of over 200 state leave laws in addition to FMLA and covers over 2.2 million lives. 

Resources:
Download our FMLA Handbook here.
What state laws apply to your business? Get the facts.

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

Top FMLA mistakes: “Deeming” when you shouldn’t

In this episode, Ellen McCann explains how employers often incorrectly deem eligibility for the Family Medical Leave Act in two major ways. She offers best practices and advice on what to do if you’re unable to deem employees eligible for FMLA.  

Top takeaways:

• It’s important you understand why you cannot deem an employee eligible for FMLA if they are not eligible [01:34]
• Employers tend to violate this rule in two major ways: 1) Deeming an employee eligible who hasn’t met those strict eligibility requirements, and 2) saying a leave event is FMLA when it isn’t covered [03:34]
• If you wish to be more generous for employee eligibility or types of leave, the solution is to craft a corporate leave policy. [04:25]
• Make sure you’re doing the employee evaluation for all employees applying for FMLA: Resist the temptation to be more generous without doing your homework. Count the hours worked, the number of employees in the office the employee is reporting into. [07:18]

About the Speaker:
Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel, Unum’s Employment Law Group

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed, national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA. She is also a certified trainer for SHRM and CE credit. As Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel for Unum’s Employment Law Group, Ellen advises Human Resources on all employment-related legal issues. She also provides daily legal support to Unum’s Absence Management Center, which provides leave administration services to its customers. Presently, Unum’s leave administration product includes administration of over 200 state leave laws in addition to FMLA and covers over 2.2 million lives. 

Resources:
Download our FMLA Handbook here.
What state laws apply to your business? Get the facts.

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our upcoming episodes will be offering updates on the fast-changing legislation around leave management. In this episode, Ellen McCann explains the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” (FFCRA), which was passed by the U.S. Senate. She unpacks the two key components of the law: Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency FMLA.

Top takeaways

• The law only applies to employers with fewer than 500 employees. This is different from the traditional FMLA threshold of 50 employees. [02:02]
• All employees who work for a covered employer can take Emergency Paid Leave. Employees who have been employed for 30 days can take Emergency FMLA. [05:26]
• Update: After recording this episode, the Department of Labor issued further guidance. They released the mandatory poster and also offered guidance on how the tax credit will work. Keep checking the DOL website for updates.

About the Speaker:
Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel, Unum’s Employment Law Group

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed, national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA. She is also a certified trainer for SHRM and CE credit. As Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel for Unum’s Employment Law Group, Ellen advises Human Resources on all employment-related legal issues. She also provides daily legal support to Unum’s Absence Management Center, which provides leave administration services to its customers. Presently, Unum’s leave administration product includes administration of over 200 state leave laws in addition to FMLA and covers over 2.2 million lives. 

Resources:
Download our FMLA Handbook here.
What state laws apply to your business? Get the facts.

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

Ellen McCann walks through the latest guidance from the Department of Labor on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Followinglast week’s episode, [MC1] which set the groundwork for the law, today we discuss new details such as how to count your number of employees and how the law applies if your business is closed or your employees are being furloughed. 

Top takeaways:

• How do you know if you have 500 employees? The employer threshold count is measured as of the date the employee uses the leave. It includes anyone on the payroll (U.S. only) and temporary employees. [03:50]
• Furloughed employees are not eligible for Emergency FMLA or Emergency Paid Sick Leave, as they are no longer working. If your business is closed, employees are also not entitled to the leave. [05:48]
• Traditional FMLA laws continue to apply unless they are specifically called out as having been changed by this law. [07:48]
• You can combine this new leave entitlement with PTO and corporate leave, but there are conditions. [11:48] Listen to Part 1 here and check the DOL’s website and their FAQ page for full guidance. 

This program is not intended to constitute legal advice and is for general educational purposes only. If you need legal advice on a particular situation, please contact your own attorney. 

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt life and businesses in the U.S., we explore two key federal resources for organizations with fewer than 500 employees. Ellen McCann offers recent legislative updates to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Laura Kilmartin then unpacks the Paycheck Protection Program, a Small Business Administration (SBA) lending program designed to encourage businesses to keep their employees on the payroll. 

Key takeaways

• The Department of Labor has offered further guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act – check their FAQ page. On April 9, we will release a special episode to cover the key updates. [02:55]
• The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), administered by the SBA, is applicable to any small business with fewer than 500 employees, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors, self-employed persons and tax-exempt non-profits and veterans’ organizations. Several other employer types are designated by the SBA as small businesses even if they have more than 500 employees — check their website for updates. [05:17]
• A loan under the PPP has a two-year maturity and 1% interest rate. However, it is intended to act like a grant and will be forgiven if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is only used for authorized purposes. [07:21]
• The rules are fairly simple: Loan proceeds must be used for payroll costs, including insurance premiums; mortgage interest; rent; and utilities. A total of 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for those costs, and forgiveness is based on the employer maintaining or quickly rehiring all employees and maintaining salary levels. [10:02]
• Any SBA lender or federally insured bank or credit union is eligible to issue loans through this program. Check with your local lender to see if they are participating in the program. Fill out a loan application before June 30, 2020, but the sooner the better — limited funds are available. [14:07]
• Check the Small Business Administration website for more information. 

 Laura Kilmartin
AVP, Government Affairs, Unum 

Laura is an insurance professional and attorney with a specific focus on government affairs and regulatory compliance. As Assistant Vice President of the Government Affairs organization at Unum, Laura focuses on state legislation and paid family leave. Since joining Unum in 2000, Laura established claims policies and practices for the benefits organization to ensure compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and support new IT, product and leave initiatives. She also managed the Benefits Quality Assurance programs for all Unum’s insurance products and leave services.  

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

National leave expert Ellen McCann takes us on a deep dive into the latest guidance around Emergency Paid Sick Leave. The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) is one of two key components in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). It applies to organizations with fewer than 500 employees and public agencies.

Key takeaways

• The measurement period for determining number of employees is as of the date the employee is going to be using the paid sick leave. [02:40]
• An employee is entitled to leave equivalent to two weeks of their normal schedule. If an employee is normally scheduled to work 40 hours a week, they would be entitled to 80 hours. [03:39] 
• There are six reasons for leave, in two key categories. [04:57]
• For an employee to access Emergency Paid Sick Leave, they need to be either subject to a quarantine order (including a shelter in place order if it prevents them from working) or advised by their medical provider to self-quarantine. The employee can also take this leave if they have symptoms and are seeking a diagnosis. [05:58]
• This form of leave does not apply to employees who are furloughed. [08:53]
• Additionally, an employee can take Emergency Paid Sick Leave to care for their child whose school or place of care is closed or to care for an individual who is subject to a quarantine order/doctor’s order to self-quarantine. [09:26]
• The Department of Labor has offered further guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act — check their FAQ page. 

Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel at Unum’s Employment Law Group 

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA. She is also a certified trainer for SHRM and CE credit. As Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel for Unum’s Employment Law Group, Ellen advises Human Resources on all employment-related legal issues. She also provides legal support to Unum’s Absence Management Center, which provides leave administration services to its customers. Presently, Unum’s leave administration product includes administration of close to 200 state leave laws in addition to FMLA and covers over 2.2 million lives. 

Resources: 

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Apr. 8, 2020)[A1] 

The impact of COVID-19 is expanding nationwide and significantly affecting the workplace. Watch this webinar to learn more. 

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

Laurie Mitchell is a national thought leader on well-being and health management. She discusses how Unum’s HR organization is helping to foster employee well-being during the coronavirus pandemic. We also cover resources organizations can tap into to support their workforce and how leadership can communicate in humanizing ways.

Key takeaways

• The foundation for emotional and physical resilience is self-care. Be intentional and deliberate around building your own wellness: from your diet and regular meals, to physical activity and sleep. [03:38]
• Don’t underestimate the importance of social support. Employees will appreciate hearing from leaders in personal and humanizing ways — explore informal gatherings as well as company updates. [06:00]
• Businesses with smaller HR functions have access to important resources: Start with your medical plan — what resources can you tap into there? An employee assistance program (EAP) can also provide resources for mental health or emotional support. Finally, organizations can look to community resources through their state’s 211 program. [12:10]
• For all your communications, aim to use a designated HR point of contact. This ensures that all employees get consistent information. [14:02] 

Laurie Mitchell
AVP, Global Wellbeing & Health Management at Unum

 Laurie Mitchell took a slightly nontraditional career path for a registered dietitian nutritionist and has been leading comprehensive employer-sponsored population health and well-being strategy for more than 22 years. Her work focuses on actively engaging employees in their well-being through a mix of innovative programs, benefits, policies and health-forward environmental approaches. Before joining Unum, she held similar positions at MaineHealth, an integrated health care delivery system in Maine; Public Service Enterprise Group, an energy company in New Jersey; and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. She also had a private nutrition practice in NYC.

 
Resources:
Unum Mental Health Report [A1]
Help your employees navigate the coronavirus quarantine

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

National legal experts Tamika Newson and Ellen McCann discuss recent guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on how the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) impacts employers in the COVID-19 environment. Early on, the EEOC declared COVID-19 as a “direct threat” to the workplace. This means if an employee with COVID-19 presents themselves in the workplace, employers have an opportunity under the ADA to ask specific questions about their symptoms, direct them to not come to the workplace, and monitor when and how they return to work. We discuss this new guidance and best practices for granting accommodations under the ADA during the pandemic. 

Key takeaways

• In its recent guidance, the EEOC addressed underlying health conditions, and mental health in particular, noting that this may be an area where potential exposure will require employers to provide accommodations. [03:33]
• The EEOC recently clarified that employers are permitted to ask for medical information in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it acknowledged that employers may not be able to get the same records as in normal times and encourages employers to make reasonable decisions. [04:34]
• Employers cannot make assumptions based on who they think is vulnerable — such as people 65 and older or pregnant women. Employees, however, can let their employers know if they have concerns and ask for accommodations. [06:51]
• What constitutes a reasonable accommodation? The EEOC is encouraging employers to make any accommodations they can to keep people with disabilities in the workforce, but the Commission is also being reasonable in its definition of undue hardship in this economic environment. [08:13]
• Accommodations granted during this time can be made on a temporary basis. Employers can revisit determinations as the pandemic situation changes. [10:23]

For more information, visit these EEOC resources:  

Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans With Disabilities Act

What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws

Tamika Newson
Assistant Vice President and Legal Counsel, Unum's Law Group

Tamika Newson joined Unum after 22 years of employment law counseling and litigation as a Partner in several large law firms. Prior to joining Unum, she litigated employment matters nationwide. Tamika advises Human Resources on all employment-related legal issues, with particular emphasis on FMLA, ADA, leaves of absence, wage/hour compliance, military leaves, restrictive covenants and employee-relations issues. She also provides daily legal support to Unum's Leave Management Center and its ADA Services Center. Tamika received her BA from DePauw University and her JD from Hamline University School of Law (now Mitchell Hamline). She is a certified trainer for CE credit and is a frequent national speaker on FMLA and ADA. She has been selected as a “Best Lawyer in America” in the area of employment law every year from 2013 to 2019.    

More resources: 

EEOC Guidelines 

Check out the latest FAQs from the EEOC. Read more.

ADA Handbook 

Read Unum’s popular guidebook to the ADA

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

Investment expert Carl Gagnon discusses how HR teams can discuss financial wellbeing with employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. As AVP of Financial Wellbeing and Retirement Programs at Unum and a thought leader who regularly speaks at industry conferences, Carl brings a calm perspective and decades of expertise. He reminds us of the big picture vision and explains how employers can talk to employees about the resources available to them, such as a 401K provider or their own benefits portal. 

Key takeaways

• Employers who have a 401(k) or financial well-being program have built those with care. Now is the time to share those resources with your employees. [01:22]
• Don’t make investment choices based on emotion or reactions to the market. [03:00]
•  If you’re close to retirement age, and if your employer offers tools and resources — especially third parties — reach out to them. They have financial planners who can help you work through this. [04:56]
• Lean into the volatility. Some employees may be saving money by not driving to work, eating out, etc. Take some of that excess money and reinvest or build some emergency savings. [07:18]
• If you have reduced income, use the resources available to you. Take stock of what you have and talk to your creditors and vendors about deferring payments. There are programs available to help. For example, Defined Contribution programs may have loan features. Student loan forgiveness programs may be available, including federal student loan deferment. [08:40]

Carl Gagnon
AVP Financial Wellbeing & Retirement Programs, Unum

Carl Gagnon is responsible for the day-to-day operations, regulatory oversight and compliance of the Unum global financial well-being and retirement programs which include their Defined Benefit, Defined Contribution and Non-Qualified retirement plans and various flex benefit programs within its international operations. Unum employs approximately 11,000 employees worldwide with key U.S. locations in Chattanooga, TN; Columbia, SC; Portland, ME and Worcester, MA. Globally, Unum has operations in England, Ireland and Poland. Carl is also involved with developing, implementing and aligning these global retirement program designs with the overall business objectives of Unum and serves as a key partner in the implementation of the strategy, design and investment structure for these financial benefit programs. Carl has 25 years’ experience in various HR and Benefit positions, including benefit strategy, managing corporate benefit programs as well as implementing administrative systems to manage these plans. Prior to joining Unum in 2005, Carl worked in similar roles with Apogent Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific and in the Taft Hartley benefit field. He holds a CEBS certification, is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Administrators and is a member of Society for Human Resources Management and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.

More resources:
Making Remote Work
Navigating well-being and productivity during a global pandemic. Download. 

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685 

As many U.S organizations plan for the return of employees to worksites, legal experts Ellen McCann and Tamika Newson weigh in on various legal considerations. We review recent statistics from a Unum survey that shows how employers are facing this issue, with a third of employers saying they do not yet have a plan in place. We then dive into regulatory considerations, practical questions and contingency planning. 

Key takeaways

• As recently as April 23, the EEOC shared guidance stating that employers can ask for a COVID-19 test before they allow workers to return. Employers can also require fitness-for-duty tests, ask workers to wear masks or ask them to stay at home if they are unwell. [05:01]
• Consider your documentation strategy: If you are going to ask a series of questions, such as symptoms or family exposure or recent travel, where is that documented? It needs to be confidential. [07:03]
• Who will ask these questions? Do you want it to be HR, a dedicated response team or a third-party vendor? [07:42]
• Build a game plan for all the scenarios that could come out of this. Do you want to do testing? What sort of testing? What will you do if employees don’t take a test? Or if they test positive but refuse to leave the worksite? [08:08]
• What are you going to require for each individual to return to work — and how are you going to ensure it is consistent? Be wary of making assumptions about employees, such as saying we’ll only bring back “young and healthy” people first. [08:59]
• Best practices include building a dedicated response team that will deal with return to work. It’s advisable to have someone on that team who can give employment law advice. You’ll need to address issues with testing and consistency in how you treat employees, while taking into consideration all the other applicable laws, such as Title VII and local governmental orders. [10:49]

Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel at Unum’s Employment Law Group

Tamika Newson
Assistant Vice President and Legal Counsel, Unum's Employment Law Group

 
More resources: 

EEOC Guidelines

Check out the latest FAQs from the EEOC.
Read more

 Ep. 8: How does COVID-19 impact the ADA?
Listen now

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

Legal experts Ellen McCann and Daris Freeman break down state and municipal considerations when planning return-to-work amid the COVID-19 crisis. Many states are in the process of opening up for non-essential work and have issued some strict guidelines around how employers should go about bringing employees back. Certain cities and counties also have their own requirements. Be sure to do your homework – and check out the resources we link to below. 

Key takeaways

• Make sure you’re up to date with all the government mandates or requirements. States have various laws that will govern how you bring employees back. And don’t stop just to look at the state; certain cities and counties have their own requirements. [01:38]
• Keep other considerations in mind. For example, the Warn Act requires employers to give certain notices to employees who are going to be laid off. There are state versions, as well. These laws have been changed in the face of COVID-19. [03:18]
• Look at changes in the Workers Comp arena for essential businesses. [04:28]
• What are the wage and hour requirements that will apply to you as you bring employees back? Are you obligated under state law to pay for personal protective equipment? Are you obligated to pay employees to do health screenings at home or when they get to your worksite? Know the wage and hour implications. [04:59]
• Several states and individual jurisdictions have passed leave laws specific to COVID-19. Many are in response to what happened at a federal level — for example, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose passed laws related to larger employers not subject to the new federal law. Some are specific to certain industries. [06:31]
• Many of the states that have existing paid sick laws have issued guidance or amended existing laws — for unpaid leave as well as paid sick leave. That guidance provides additional leave that was not provided before. Employers need to look into these laws and know how they can be applied. [08:02]
• Unum has state leave law updates on our website. Law firms are also putting up free summaries. Ellen McCann references the resources that the law firm Littler Mendelson has created for employers, viewable here. [09:41]

Daris Freeman
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel, Unum 

As Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel for Unum, Ms. Freeman’s primary responsibility is to support Unum’s Absence Management Center, which administers FMLA, paid leave, ADA and over 200 complementary state laws. Ms. Freeman partners with the operation and their clients to develop compliant solutions for their unique absence management challenges. Most recently, Ms. Freeman’s time has been dedicated to the paid leave landscape, implementing solutions for customers and working with state agencies on development of their programs.

 More resources:
State Leave Laws Updates
Read more

Ep. 8: How does COVID-19 impact the ADA?
Listen now

Jeff Nowak is one of the leading employment attorneys in the United States and the author of the highly regarded FMLA Insights blog. He joins Unum’s Ellen McCann to walk employers through key considerations for maximizing health and safety when building a return-to-work strategy. We discuss everything from creating a health assessment, to flexibility, masks, and the importance of building a robust communication plan.

Key takeaways

• Health assessments are a non-invasive way of having a conversation with your employees about their ability to return to work. You can ask about symptoms, positive tests, their proximity to or whether they are caring for someone with symptoms or a diagnosis. You can also ask about recent travel. [01:42]
• You have many important decisions to make: Are you going to do assessments before employees come back to work, or before they set foot on the property? How will you administer tests? How can you do this in a way that most protects your employees’ privacy? [04:00]
• You should expect some apprehension from your employees. Remember, this event is the first of its kind in a lifetime. Accept that fact — and engage in discussions with your employees. Let employees know what you’ve done to ensure a safe environment and share this in your communication plan. [06:12]
• Even though people are going back to work, social distancing is still required. Very few workplaces are going back at 100% capacity. This means employers may be able to be more flexible in offering remote work options than in past. [09:16]
• From a practical and legal standpoint, it’s important to follow state or local requirements when it comes to face coverings or masks. For employees who can’t wear masks, engage in a discussion of what you could do to help them perform their job. [11:21]
• Prepare a robust return-to-work communication plan. Focus on the physical spacing of the workplace and what’s required of the employee in terms of masks, hand washing, social distancing, and so on. [13:52]
• Check out Jeff Nowak’s blog, FMLA Insights,for more great guidance. 

 Jeff Nowak, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson 

Jeff Nowak is a shareholder for Littler Mendelson, P.C., the world’s largest employment practice representing employers. He is a recognized leader on FMLA and ADA issues, helping employers develop comprehensive strategies to achieve compliance with employee leave and accommodation issues. He is also the author of the highly regarded FMLA Insights blog, which has earned him entry into the ABA Journal’s Blogger Hall of Fame. Nowak is a highly sought-after speaker on FMLA/ADA issues, most notably serving on the faculty of the National Employment Law Institute (NELI) and a frequent speaker for the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC).

 More resources: 

Ep. 11: State and municipal legal considerations for COVID-19 return-to-work
Listen now

Ep. 10: The ADA, COVID-19 and return-to-work planning
Listen now

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

Dr. Kristen Lee, Ed.D., LICSW, is an award-winning behavioral science professor, clinician and author. To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month, we bring together Dr. Lee and Unum’s Laurie Mitchell for a two-part discussion about mental well-being and resilience. 

Key takeaways

• The World Health Organization has classified “burnout” not just as a mental health issue but as a workplace condition. The uncertainty of the current pandemic is making burnout even more of a risk. [02:17]
• In resilience research, the term “protective factors” is used to explain practices in our daily lives that nourish and edify us. Many of these routines have been disrupted during the coronavirus pandemic. [04:47]
• Despite the challenges, modern brain science shows we are a species wired for adaption. We have a lot within our control that can help us, such as nutrition, hydration, proper sleep and getting out in nature. [06:25]
• Be aware of your “reserve capacity.” We need what are called “break rituals.” Scientifically grounded self-care is about deliberate attention to mind and body. All these actions have a cumulative effect. Make deposits of self-care into your own bank to sustain yourself through complexity. [09:12]
• Employers should encourage this personal self-care, but also make sure employees are aware of the resources available to them, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), counselling, apps that can support traditional care, and behavioral health teleservices. [14:52]

Resources: 

• Book: Mentalligence: A New Psychology of Thinking: Learn What it Takes to Be More Agile, Mindful and Connected in Today's World, 50% off affinity discount for podcast listeners. Select the "Buy from us" button and type in code “Resilience2020.” 
• Course: Cultivating Resilience Through Crisis, free and on demand during May 2020
• Report[A1] (PDF download): Mental Health in the Workplace, May 2020 Update
• Active Minds
• Caring for Coronavirus Anxiety, a project by Shine
• Harvard/McLean Hospital, mental health resources
• American Society of Suicide Prevention
• On May 26, tune in to Part 2 of this episode: Organizational approaches to mental well-being.

 Dr. Kristen Lee
Behavioral science professor, clinician and author

 Laurie Mitchell
Assistant Vice President, Global Wellbeing & Health Management at Unum

More resources:
Report: Mental Health in the Workplace, May 2020 Update 

Ep. 9: Improving financial wellness during COVID-19
Listen now

Get in touch:
hrtrends@unum.com
(207) 200-6685

What can HR organizations do to help employees with their emotional well-being? In Part 2 of our conversation, two wellness experts — Dr. Kristen Lee, Ed.D., LICSW, an award-winning behavioral science professor, clinician and author, and Unum’s Laurie Mitchell —discuss how organizations can help inspire a culture of resilience. 

Top takeaways

• Have you listened to Part 1 yet? Listen here.
• Before the coronavirus pandemic, there were many concerning indicators around mental health globally. [02:21]
• Research is showing that resilience happens within a community. Organizations can create “a culture of health thinking and health giving,” where each person feels they are cared for. [04:06]
• In the Strong Minds at Work Report published by Unum last year, a disconnect emerged. When asked “what mental health resources are available at your company,”  [06:56]
• Role modeling can be a powerful way to educate about mental health. [12:21]
• Mental health first aid training programs, by organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), are another way to provide support for the workforce. [13:22]

 Resources:

• Book:Mentalligence: A New Psychology of Thinking: Learn What it Takes to Be More Agile, Mindful and Connected in Today's World, 50% off affinity discount for podcast listeners. Select the "Buy from us" button and type in code “Resilience2020.” 
• Course:Cultivating Resilience Through Crisis, free and on demand during May 2020
• Report (PDF download): Mental Health in the Workplace, May 2020 Update
• Active Minds
• Caring for Coronavirus Anxiety, a project by Shine
• Harvard/McLean Hospital, mental health resources
• American Society of Suicide Prevention

Featured speakers
Dr. Kristen Lee
Behavioral science professor, clinician and author

Dr. Kristen Lee, Ed.D., LICSW, known as “Dr. Kris,” is an award-winning behavioral science professor, clinician and author. As the Lead Faculty for Behavioral Science at Northeastern University, Dr. Kris’s clinical, research and teaching interests include individual and organizational well-being and resilience. She is the author of RESET: Make the Most of Your Stress, winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards Motivational Book of 2015, and Mentalligence: A New Psychology of Thinking: Learn What it Takes to Be More Agile, Mindful and Connected in Today's World. She is the host of Mentalligence Radio and her Ted talk, The Risk You Must Take,has over 309,000 views.

More resources:
Ep. 13: Mental well-being in the age of COVID-19, Part 1
Listen now. 

We have pivoted our program, this week, to address the situation unfolding in the U.S. right nowand the social injustices that have been part of our society for centuries. This is a traumatic time for people of color in the workplace, and it requires all of us to engage. How can we lead by example in inclusion and diversity? What courageous conversations can we or should we be having?

 Top takeaways

• The three Es of inclusion are: 1) Equitable: Be fair, 2) Engaging: Be inviting, and 3) Exemplary: Be an example. Having a diverse organization is not enough; leaders must be inclusive when providing opportunities to contribute and succeed. [03:50]
• Reverse mentoring is a powerful way to spark courageous conversations within organizations. [08:08]
• Leaders and managers need to face uncomfortable conversations. To allow breakthroughs, be vulnerable, and allow teammates the psychological safety they need to learn and take risks. [09:09]
• Be mindful of the trauma people are going through in the workplace. Ben-Saba Hasan, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of Walmart, equates mental trauma with physical trauma. If we can make a psychologically safe space at work, we can also create a space for healing. [10:19]
• Lean into this and take ownership. Employees are watching and expecting accountability. [11:56]
• Start today, take small steps. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but those small decisions will make all the difference. [16:36]

Resources:
Start with your employees: Look internally for opportunities like reverse mentoring, building employee resource groups, or reaching out to new people to engage with. 

CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion
Code Switchpodcast by NPR
Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace & The Will to Change, Jennifer Brown
Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin
The Hate U Give,Angie Thomas
What If?: Short Stories to Spark Diversity Dialogue, Steve L. Robbins
Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America's Struggle for Equality, Richard Kluger

Featured speakers
Wade A. Hinton
Vice President, Global Inclusion and Diversity at Unum

Wade Hinton is passionate about leadership as a force for good, for all. He’s on a mission to make leaders, organizations and communities appreciate the power of inclusion. Whether it’s embedding inclusion into the operations of a global company with more than 10,000 employees or serving as the chief legal officer for a city leading the nation in innovation, Wade loves working with organizations to help them address strategic issues that impact people and performance. Wade is recognized as a leader locally and nationally for his work as a lawyer, business leader and diversity champion.

Tim Arnold
President & CEO, Colonial Life and 
Executive Vice President, Voluntary Benefits, Unum Group

Tim Arnold was named executive vice president, voluntary benefits, and president, Colonial Life in February 2020, responsible for shaping an enterprise-wide approach to voluntary benefits while continuing to lead Colonial Life. Arnold previously served as executive vice president, president and chief executive officer, Colonial Life. 

Episode 16 (June 16, 2020)

Best practices in COVID-19 return-to-work planning

Melissa K. Peters, Special Counsel at Littler Mendelson, shares key insights into the law firm’s recent COVID-19 Return-to-Work Survey of 1,000 employers across the U.S. She discusses best practices and key strategies for employers to keep in mind as they build and implement a return-to-work plan.
 
Top takeaways

• The CDC has been the default guidance throughout this time, but businesses should also carefully follow and adhere to any regulations or orders from the state, county or city where they are located. [01:55]
• Employers have a key concern around leave of absence entitlements. Summer brings childcare issues and this will likely impact employees who need to return. [03:41]
• The “general duty” clause is the primary OSHA regulation employers are following. OSHA requires employers to provide a safe and healthy environment and to protect against a “serious hazard” — i.e., exposure to COVID-19. [05:25]
• Employers can keep rigorous notes on all the measures they are taking to keep employees safe — keeping contact tracing logs, cleaning logs, and so on. They can also consider implementing a daily walkaround. High-hazard industries do “site walks,” which can be as simple as walking around the office or facility to make sure all the social distancing measures are being put in place, with an eye on potential lawsuits or liabilities. [07:17]
• Learn more about the Littler Mendelson survey report here. 

Featured speaker:

Melissa K. Peters 
Special Counsel at Littler Mendelson 

With an in-depth understanding of the regulations that apply to safety and health in the workplace, Melissa K. Peters assists employers in complying with these requirements and provides counsel surrounding workplace incidents. Her primary focus is on California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) matters. Previously, while at Cal/OSHA, she regularly advised on enforcement and investigation-related matters and represented the Division in administrative appeals and third-party litigation arising from workplace fatalities. She worked closely with Cal/OSHA’s High Hazard, Research and Standards, Labor Enforcement Task Force, and Elevator units, and handled numerous cases involving workplace violence, heat illness and bloodborne pathogens.

Unum surveyed 400+ employers in early June to ask how the pandemic was impacting their benefits, leave and enrollment planning. We found that big changes are coming — and they could be permanent. In today’s episode, Sharlyn Lauby, Rob Hecker and Ellen McCann discuss the survey findings, and how the pandemic is fundamentally reshaping the workplace and employee benefits.

Top takeaways

• 56% of employers will allow flexibility to work from home even after the pandemic. Employers are starting to ask paradigm-shifting questions like, “What does work from home 2.0 look like? What are the implications for our culture and how we innovate?” [02:05]
• Paid leave is on the rise: 44% of employers probably or definitely will expand paid leave benefits in the coming year. Employers have learned that unpaid FMLA leave was insufficient to meet the magnitude of the COVID-19 emergency. [06:00]
• More than half of employers are changing their benefits plan. As the pandemic proceeds, we can expect behavioral health issues to emerge around anxiety, depression, issues of isolation, elder or child care, and financial stresses. Employers are starting to plan, by developing programs and services to help employees better cope — and even thrive. [08:11]
• Mental health claims and leave requests may be on the rise. Employers should not feel that “it’s business as usual now.” They should understand that, while employees may have been able to juggle things for the last few months, they may not be able to do that for long. Employers have to remain flexible and nimble. [12:33]
• Read the report here. 

Featured speakers

Sharlyn Lauby
President, ITM Group Inc., author of HR Bartender

Sharlyn Lauby is the author of HR Bartender and president of ITM Group Inc., a Florida-based training and human resources consulting firm focused on helping companies retain and engage talent. Prior to starting ITM Group, Sharlyn was Vice President of Human Resources at Right Management Consultants, one of the world’s largest organizational consulting firms. She has designed and implemented highly successful programs for employee retention, internal and external customer satisfaction, and leadership development. Publications such as Reuters, The New York Times, ABC News, and The Wall Street Journal have sought out her expertise on topics related to human resources and the workplace. Sharlyn launched HR Bartender to provide a “friendly place for everyday workplace issues.” It’s been recognized as one of the Top 5 Business Blogs Read by HR Professionals by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). She is the author of the best-selling books “Manager Onboarding: 5 Steps for Setting New Leaders Up for Success” and “The Recruiter’s Handbook: How to Source, Select, and Engage the Best Talent.”

Robert Hecker
Vice President, Global Total Rewards, Unum

Rob Hecker is currently the Vice President of Global Total Rewards, responsible for Unum’s health, medical and retirement plans, well-being strategies and compensation and rewards programs. Prior to moving into his current role, Rob was the Vice President of National Client Group Services, responsible for developing client service delivery strategies for Unum’s 2000+ employees customer segment. His areas of responsibility included client management strategy, new customer implementation, premium collections, contract services and administrative management services. 

With the social-distancing needs of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers may be wondering what benefits enrollment will look like in 2020. For many employers, virtual enrollment methods are replacing face-to-face meetings. According to a recent employer survey, virtual enrollment is expected to double this year. In this episode, benefits experts Shawn Ferguson and Richard Shaffer provide insights for employers.

Top takeaways 

• Before implementing a virtual enrollment strategy, make sure your organization has an online platform and a plan to engage employees on this platform. [03:45]
• Mandatory group enrollment meetings can be held virtually using a variety of methods. These meetings are important for educating employees about their benefits offering, including additions or changes to coverage. [04:02]
• Employees are more likely to research and learn about their benefits when an active decision-making process is applied. [05:01]
• Present a comprehensive benefits package in a logical order, and make sure employees have a consistent experience in all benefits communications and across platforms. [05:33]
• Employees will have very specific questions this enrollment season, as the pandemic has made workers more worried about their financial fragility. [08:00]
• Virtual tools have seen rapid adoption since the COVID-19 outbreak. Some insurance carriers and brokers have retooled and reinvented benefits communication and enrollment to approximate a face-to-face experience in a virtual ecosystem. [09:03]
• For the average American worker, benefits enrollment and selection is going to be the one of the most significant financial decision they make over the course of the year. [13:21] 

Featured speakers

Shawn Ferguson
Senior Vice President, Voluntary Benefits, Acrisure

Shawn is the SVP of Voluntary Benefits at Acrisure, one of the world's top 10 insurance brokerages and the fastest growing in the world over the past six years. He is responsible for implementing successful voluntary benefits strategies for Acrisure across the U.S. For the past 15 years, Shawn has worked solely in the voluntary benefits and enrollment segments of the industry. He oversaw the voluntary benefits and enrollment division at Alltrust, where he worked closely with brokers and account managers to make voluntary benefits part of the agency’s culture and strategy. Shawn attributes his success to using a carrier-agnostic approach to find the best solutions for each individual client. 

Richard Shaffer
Senior Vice President, Field and Market Development, Colonial Life 

Richard Shaffer is the Senior Vice President of Field and Market Development for Colonial Life. He oversees corporate strategy and planning, business development and the teams leading the company’s enrollment, client management and retention programs. Richard has held various positions throughout his 22 years with the company. Prior to joining the company in 1998, he worked as a family therapist — his knowledge of family dynamics has helped his approach to employee benefits communication and enrollment. Richard holds a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from East Carolina University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from George Mason University.

More resources

How the pandemic is reshaping employee benefits
Listen now

How the pandemic has revolutionized benefits – and the workplace
Read the report

A New York federal court recently struck down parts of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) rule interpreting employee paid sick and extended FMLA leave components of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Two national employment law experts, Jeff Nowak and Ellen McCann, discuss the court’s decision and its implications for the future of FFCRA leave – and employers. 

Key takeaways

• On April 1, 2020, when the scope of the pandemic first became apparent, Congress passed the FFCRA. DOL quickly issued regulations for implementing this new federal statute. [1:23]
• The State of New York filed suit against DOL, claiming the agency’s regulations 1) unlawfully denied FFCRA leave to otherwise eligible employees and 2) exceeded the DOL’s authority. As a result of the proceedings, the New York federal court invalidated several DOL regulations interpreting the new federal law.
  • The requirement that employees be scheduled to work in order to take a leave of absence. [2:52]
  • The part of the intermittent leave provision requiring the employer’s permission when an employee is caring for a child due to public health concerns, such as COVID-19-related closures of schools or unavailable childcare. [7:30]
  • DOL’s expansive definition of healthcare provider and leave entitlement exemptions. [9:44]
  • The timing of when employees must submit leave documentation to their employers. [15:20]
• The scope of the court’s decisions remains uncertain, but one thing remains clear: DOL must address the court’s decision. That means employers should continue to monitor the situation and look for DOL updates. [17:07]
• Employers can also reduce compliance risks by examining their leave exemptions, application of intermittent leave, stances on work availability, and current leave administration and documentation. [18:39]

Jeff Nowak, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson 

Jeff Nowak is a shareholder for Littler Mendelson, P.C., the world’s largest employment practice representing employers. He is a recognized leader on FMLA and ADA issues, helping employers develop comprehensive strategies to achieve compliance with employee leave and accommodation issues.

 Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel at Unum’s Employment Law Group 

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA. 

More resources: 

Ep. 12: Practical advice for return-to-work safety
Listen now

Webinar: A roadmap for navigating COVID-19 leave laws
Watch now

Ep. 16: Best practices in COVID-19 return-to-work planning.  Ep 16 link: https://www.unum.com/employers/resources/hr-trends/episode-16-return-to-work-best-practices

A new survey shows that with the ongoing pandemic and complexities caused by school closures this fall, employers are expecting a rise in mental health challenges for their employees. In this episode, two world-renowned mental health experts from Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, Dr. Kerry Ressler and Dr. Lisa Coyne, join Unum’s employee benefits and well-being strategy expert ,Robert Hecker, to discuss the survey’s findings and how employers can support their employees.

Key Takeaways 

• Employers are expecting a big rise in mental health issues. 85% of employers surveyed are very or somewhat concerned about their employees’ mental health or wellness needs. (02:21)
• The stress people are experiencing is not new. However, the pandemic and other environmental factors have made these issues more acute, and employees are exhibiting higher levels of stress. The challenge is figuring out the right action to take to support employees in a meaningful way. (3:28)
• Employers can encourage healthy behaviors and preventive measures that will help keep most people healthy and resilient. Additionally, employers should watch for behaviors and symptoms that suggest professional help is needed. (5:39)
• Parents with children who are different ages or have behavioral health issues will be likely to experience even more draining demands. All parents with children will be at risk of burnout. (9:30)
• Employers should help parents be aware of resources for their or their kids’ mental health and consider offering flexible work schedules. (10:23)

Additional resources:
Register for an upcoming SHRM webinar: How employers can mitigate a looming mental health crisis

COVID-19: mental health resources: https://home.mcleanhospital.org/covid-19-resources

 How to deal with ongoing stress caused by working from home: https://www.mcleanhospital.org/news/how-deal-ongoing-stress-caused-working-home

How mindfulness helps families cope with stress

Kerry Ressler, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, McLean Hospital and Professor, Harvard Medical School 

Lisa Coyne, Ph.D., Founder and Senior Clinical Consultant of the OCD Institute for Children and Adolescents, McLean Hospital, and Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School

Robert Hecker, Vice President, Global Total Rewards, Unum 

More resources:
Why employers expect a mental health crisis this fall
Read now

Leave management in a post-pandemic world
Watch now

HR compliance is more complex than ever, particularly with leave and absence management. In this episode, Daris Freeman and Ellen McCann give an overview of paid leave laws, both pre-pandemic and those being signed into law amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Key takeaways:

• Prior to the pandemic, many states and jurisdictions had existing employer-mandated paid leave laws. (01:25)
• States and local jurisdictions have stepped up to provide paid leave for workers due to COVID-related reasons . These fall into two key areas: 1) Protections for employees in organizations with more than 500 employees that are not subject to the federal FFCRA and 2) States, such as California, that have passed broader legislation that applies to all employers and employees. (04:30)
• States and jurisdictions are passing laws to provide paid leave to those impacted by COVID-19. This is an active space with nearly one new law appearing every week. (05:30)
• Colorado has passed three laws in one: 1) The federal FFCRA equivalent for 2020 for larger employers and 2) a broader paid leave provision that has two components: a) paid leave for employees or family members who have an illness and school closures, and b) up to two weeks of additional leave if there is public health emergency. (05:55)
• There is also an unpaid leave dimension to this, as several states have amended existing laws to provide job protected, unpaid leave. Employers need to understand any applicable unpaid leave obligations, as well as paid leave obligations, to be compliant with all employment laws and regulations. (07:55)
• Best practices: At Unum we have policies that address state-level paid leave laws where employees work. We have supplemented that with a COVID-19 specific policy that incorporates all the different jurisdictions and states that have specific COVID-19 requirements for leave. (09:57) 
• Laws change almost weekly. One of your best resources are state and city webpages, as these are always up to date. Consult with your own legal counsel also to make sure you are capturing all the obligations and remain in compliance with all applicable laws. (11:13)

Daris Freeman
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel, Unum's Employment Law Group 

As Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel for Unum, Daris’s primary responsibility is to support Unum’s Absence Management Center which administers FMLA, paid leave, ADA and over 200 complementary state laws. Daris partners with the operation and their clients to develop compliant solutions for their unique absence management challenges. 

 Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel, Unum's Employment Law Group 

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed national speaker on leave management issues, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She is also a certified trainer for the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and continuing education (CE) credit. 

More resources:
Ep. 16: Best practices in COVID-19 return-to-work planning
Melissa K. Peters, Special Counsel at Littler Mendelson, shares key insights from Littler’s COVID-19 Return-to-Work Survey of 1,000 U.S. employers with best practices and key strategies to help employers build and implement a return-to-work plan.

Read now

Webinar: Leave management in a post-pandemic world
As employers update or expand their leave benefits for the new future formed by the coronavirus pandemic, what key best practices should they keep in mind?

Watch now

Yesterday’s leave and absence management programs aren’t working for today’s workforce – or the workforce of the future. Employers face significant challenges managing employee leave and HR compliance, from evolving complex regulations, to competition for highly skilled employees and an ongoing global health crisis. In this episode, leave and absence management experts Matthew Howes of Aon and Susan Stowell and Marci Cyr from Unum explore these challenges and share the fundamentals of building a modern strategy.

Key takeaways

• The need for companies to have a strategic leave and absence management program has increased over recent years – and only been exacerbated by the pandemic. Employees are looking for employers with comprehensive time-away programs, allowing them to meet their responsibilities at home and achieve their goals in the workplace. (02:30)
• Most employers are unaware of how leave programs work together as a whole system or the costs associated with these programs. As a result, many companies struggle to have a comprehensive approach or strategy, negatively impacting their balance sheets. (03:53)
• In today’s market, many employers are looking to solve their leave management pain points involving: (05:58)
• There are three different major categories to fundamentally transform a leave and absence management approach: (08:12)
• Leave programs are a major part of a company’s brand and corporate culture that reflect internally with employees and externally with the market. Employers need competitive leave programs for recruiting and retaining skilled employees as work-life balance continues to be a major priority for today’s workforce. (09:31)
•  When it comes to corporate leave policies and programs, employers should take a holistic view to make sure the entire program is working efficiently and effectively – and take a more proactive approach to leave strategy planning and understanding the different components of paid leave. (10:29)  

 Matthew Howes
Vice President, Time Away & Life Solutions Practice, Aon
 Matthew Howe is an expert in leave, life and disability for Aon’s Time Away and Life Solutions practice, serving underwriting, marketing, implementation and renewal efforts for clients. 

 Susan Stowell
Vice President, Absence Management Offering, Unum
Susan Stowell drives the strategic vision for new enhancements to Unum’s leave and absence portfolio, guiding investments that improve the user experience with a modern, digital toolset.  

 Marci Cyr
Assistant Vice President, Leave Transformation, Unum 
 Marci Cyr has spent the past two years focused on transforming Unum’s approach to leave and absence management. 

 More resources:
Why employers expect a mental health crisis this fall
Read our three-part, online report to see how employers across the U.S. are planning amid continued school disruptions, rising mental health concerns, and a critically important benefits enrollment season. 

Episode 21: Paid leave during a pandemic: The state response
HR compliance is more complex than ever, particularly with leave and absence management. In this podcast episode, you’ll get an overview of paid leave laws, both pre-pandemic and those being signed into law amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Today’s workforce is faced with extraordinary challenges in balancing work and family obligations. Women in particular are exiting the workforce in unprecedented numbers during the pandemic to care for children and elderly family members. In this episode, the international leave and absence expert, Anna Steffeney, discusses why the employee experience is critical to leave and absence planning, why deliberate strategies are necessary for both leave and employee reintegration, and the critical need for accessible information for employees considering leave.

• HR departments need the tools to make information easily accessible for employees to make educated leave decisions. (4:00)
• There are operational considerations for employee support in a leave program, such as what is offered, how long, who is covered, and most importantly, how the programs are implemented, including expanding your existing program or launching a new one. (5:18)
• Employers should be deliberate in measuring the ROI of their leave offerings—including benchmarking against competitors, surveying candidates and publicizing policies—to determine how their leave strategy comes into play around the retention of current employees and the attraction of new talent. (7:14)
•  Lengthening parental leave has a positive effect on employee retention. A global study by KPMG, commissioned by Vodafone, showed that implementing a 16-week policy could save employers $19 billion globally by avoiding the hiring and training expenses necessary to replace employees who leave. (9:10)
• Life events change employees and returning to work can be a jarring experience. It’s critical for employers to be deliberate in planning for leave and embracing returning employees. (11:25)

Featured speaker

Anna Steffeney
Vice President, Digital Ventures & Transformation, Leave & Absence, Unum

As part of Unum's Digital Ventures and Transformation team, Anna is primarily responsible for incubating and scaling new digital solutions for leave and absence management. She has a focus on co-creating strategy and reimagining digital leave and absence experiences. As founder and President of LeaveLogic, Anna has led the company from initiation to funding, and successful acquisition. Anna is recognized as a thought leader in parental leave policies and solutions and has been profiled by television and print media. 

We speak to Scott Omelianuk, editor in chief of Inc. magazine, and Jill Sasso, Vice President of Human Resources, Governance & Programs at the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) about how small businesses are shifting their benefits planning in 2021. We discuss a new small business report from Unum, how leading companies are adapting, and key insights for keeping women, in particular, in the workforce. 

• Industries have been hit by the pandemic in vastly different ways: Roughly half of small businesses are hiring back employees, hiring new employees, the other half are needing cut hours, layoffs and furloughs. (01:44)
• Cashflow, well-being and business continuity are leading concern for many small businesses (03:53)
• People are small businesses’ most vital resource – but there’s also a much great focus on people in 2021. Lead with empathy, be nimble in your policies, and offer flexibility. (06:14)
• What constitutes the workplace and culture has changed during the pandemic. People are looking for the safety net they need to survive during times like these. (07:56)
• Focusing on your employees is going to make you an employer of choice. (11:47)
• To keep women in the workforce: Provide flexible options and adequate health and wellness programs. Make sure employees also getting development. And prioritize your culture. What we do now to support women, in particular, is going to have far-reaching effects for women in the workforce. (16:09)

Upcoming webinar: Hear more from our speakers and Shea Treadway from Unum in a SHRM webinar on January 28, 2021. Register here. 

Featured speakers:

Scott Omelianuk, Editor in Chief, Inc.
Scott Omelianuk recently joined Inc. as Editor in Chief, where he oversees the brand’s recognition programs, events, and content, and is charged with creating new lines of business to support the entrepreneurial community. Though in the role for less than a year, he has already redesigned Inc.’s digital and print properties, launched a data product for firms looking to invest in small businesses, partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on a series of SMB town halls and created its breakout Best in Business franchise. Honored with Ad Age A-List and Media Vanguard awards, Scott is a sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, marketing and branding. 

Jill Sasso, SHRM-SCP, Vice President, Human Resources, Governance & Programs, WBENC Jill Sasso is responsible for strategic human resource planning and alignment of human resource strategies with organizational vision and mission at the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WEBENC). In addition, she leads the strategic planning and execution of WBENC programs and oversees the WBENC Board of Directors governance functions. Jill joined the WBENC team in 2016 after serving as Senior Vice President on the leadership team of a large WBENC-certified women owned firm. 

Two founders of HR firms and industry podcast leaders – Lars Schmidt and Joey Price – talk about how businesses are adapting their wellness and benefits packages in 2021. We focus on employers with 250 employees or less and the data from a new report. Lars and Joey offer practical advice on everything from benefits communication to how sole HR practitioners can lean on a wider community, as well as the urgency of implementing HR technology and process digitization. 

• Customize employee benefits packages: Benefits are more important than ever, and companies are starting to broaden beyond what they traditionally viewed as a benefits suite, such as student loan repayments and a new urgency on mental health. (02:26)
• Strive for “digital by default”: It’s time to ditch the manual processes and adopt HR technology and digital solutions – to reflect a modern workplace. (06:05)
• You may be overspending already: Don’t shy away from HR tech because of cost. When you account for the time spent on manual processes or creating workarounds, you might find you may already have the budget to invest in digital tools. (08:45)
• Survey your employees: If you’re having to cut costs due to cash flow issues, engage your employees to co-create choices. Or, survey them to determine what they find valuable.  (09:54)
• Benefits communication is key: Articulate the tangible benefits for the employee and educate everyone on the value of the benefits.  (12:45)
• Are you an HR practitioner of one? Reach out to your HR communities and forums online to ask questions. See what your peers are doing and leverage their expertise to bring collective wisdom into your organization. (14:09)
• Access the recent report: Small Business Benefit Trends Report 2021.
• Check out the new book Redefining HR by Lars Schmidt. 

Lars Schmidt
Founder, Amplify and Author and Podcast Host, Redefining HR

Lars Schmidt is the Founder of Amplify, an HR executive search and consulting firm that helps companies build progressive people teams and capabilities. He's spent over 20 years in the industry working in and alongside a range of leading global companies. 

 Joey Price, MS HRMD
Founder, Jumpstart:HR and Host, Business, Life, and Coffee Podcast

Joey Price is an award-winning start-up CEO of Jumpstart:HR and host of the Business, Life, and Coffee Podcastbased in Baltimore, Maryland. He has spent over 12 years in the HR industry and spends much of his time solving HR challenges in the  areas of workplace culture, small team HR ops, and HR tech. 

The ongoing pandemic has left a huge impact on the public sector, from budget cuts to complex operational needs in state, local and municipality governments, public agencies and schools. Employee benefits has become a critical retention strategy, but also an added challenge. We talk to two benefits experts with vast experience in the public sector.

• Employee benefits is key to public sector’s competition for talent: Employee benefits are vital to a recruitment and retention strategy, as public sector employers compete against private sector jobs amid a wave of Baby Boomer generation retirements. [03.45]
•  Time to catch up: Public sector employers have been slower to adopt the hardware and software that other industries have utilized – that offered a way to quickly pivot to remote or virtual work. However, public entities are now putting a lot of time and effort to implement and utilize this technology. [05:32]
• Going digital for virtual enrollment: The pandemic has been a rapid accelerant for the public sector to shift to virtual enrollments of benefits, including moving from paper-based methods to digital methods. [07:08]
• Importance of benefits education: Now more than ever, employees are paying attention to the benefits coverage they have and the coverage they need. Take the time to allow employees to understand what they’re being offered. This will cause employees to be better protected and more fully appreciate what your organization is doing for them. [09:18] 

Additional public sector resources: SHRM webinar on Public Sector Benefits[A3] , Governing, International Public Managers Association for Human Resources, Center for State and Local Government Excellence, and Colonial Life’s Public Sector Virtual Enrollment Guide.      

Donna Nixon
Vice President, Pierce Group Benefits

Donna Nixon is Vice President of Pierce Group Benefits. She has 26 years of experience in public and private insurance, third party administration and benefit consulting. Most of Nixon's work has focused on local governments, providing her with the expertise to provide specialized service to this industry group. The scope of her experience spans virtually all aspects of benefit administration, including marketing, customer relations, claims, market trends and underwriting. Nixon provides strategic analysis to assist clients with design and development of benefit programs, controlling costs, compliance and employee communication solutions. She has organized and led team building and leadership development sessions and has worked with several forms of governing bodies.

Steven Vermette
Vice President, Colonial Life

Steven Vermette is a Vice President at Colonial Life. He has over three decades of experience in the benefits industry and now serves National Public Sector Sales Leader for Colonial Life. His vision and ability to identify trends has allowed Colonial Life and its clients to adapt to the ever-changing landscape. From technology to enrollment, Vermette has an acute understanding of how voluntary benefits both protect employees and empower employers to thrive.

 https://piercegroupbenefits.com/

The ongoing pandemic has put a spotlight on people’s physical and mental health – and on the critical role employers have in safeguarding their employees’ overall well-being. As the vaccine efforts continue across the U.S., we discuss the role employers should play in terms of the vaccination roll out. Dr. Dora Anne Mills, Chief Health Improvement Officer at MaineHealth, and Rob Hecker from Unum discuss how employers – of all sizes – can help with vaccination efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• It’s a race against time. Vaccinations are the single most important thing we can do for the health our communities right now. COVID-19 variants are emerging – some which are more contagious and sometimes more fatal. [02:00]
• Why employers should play a role. Vaccines are the fastest way for employees to return to some sort of normalcy and return to the office, and employers can play a critical role. Early in the pandemic, employers emerged as a trusted source of information. Encourage employees to get vaccinated when it’s available to them, as part of your organization’s commitment to employee physical and emotional wellbeing. [03:17]
• Make it easy. It can be difficult for some people to get vaccinated, especially if the facility doesn’t allow children or if there are long lines. Employers can make it easier by allowing time during work hours to get vaccinated. [05:14]
• Develop a strategic plan. Talk to experts, be flexible and rethink what you’re doing based upon what you learn. Most importantly, be transparent with everything – even what you don’t know. It’s really just about communicating, staying close to the experts, and tapping into the resources that are readily available. [07:37]
• It’s all hands on deck. This is the largest vaccine campaign in history. Local businesses can provide trusted nonmedical volunteers to help local clinics and healthcare facilities. Employees find it fulfilling, and it accomplishes a similar goal to end the pandemic. [14:18]

Dora Anne Mills, MD, MPD, FAAP
Chief Health Improvement Officer, MaineHealth

Since 2018, Dr. Dora Anne Mills has served as the chief health improvement officer for MaineHealth, Maine’s largest health system. She previously served as the Maine CDC Director for 15 years, overseeing many efforts, including the development of a statewide public health infrastructure, Maine’s response to the H1N1 influenza pandemic, and the implementation of a system for chronic disease prevention, and addressing a number of environmental health issues. 

Rob Hecker
Vice President, Global Total Rewards, Unum

Rob Hecker is currently the Vice President of Global Total Rewards, responsible for Unum’s health, medical and retirement plans, well-being strategies and compensation and rewards programs. Prior to moving into his current role, Rob was the Vice President of National Client Group Services, responsible for developing client service delivery strategies for Unum’s 2000+ employees customer segment. His areas of responsibility included client management strategy, new customer implementation, premium collections, contract services and administrative management services. Rob’s previous business experience includes Vice President of Unum’s Leave Management Center, Vice President Voluntary Claims Operations and Vice President LTD Benefits. Prior to joining Unum, Rob was employed by Holiday Inn Corporations as a labor relations specialist and Director of Human Resources. An active community leader, Rob has served on the boards of the Unum Charitable Foundation, The Chattanooga Y-ME Breast Cancer organization, Chattanooga Humane Educational Society and Unum’s United Way leadership council.

]https://www.mainehealth.org/

The world-renowned HR thought leader Josh Bersin joins Mike Simonds, COO of Unum Group, and Swapnil Prabha, Unum’s VP of Digital Offering, in a discussion about the fundamental changes wrought by the pandemic – and how those changes are driving benefits tech trends and innovations in 2021. 

• Post-pandemic economic boom. As we slowly emerge from the pandemic, many experts are predicting an economic boom. Signs are pointing to a dynamic economy with a lot of opportunities for businesses and HR professionals. [03:28]
• A greater appreciation of work. This past year, many workers experienced the stress of balancing personal and professional responsibilities from home. Yet, many people gained a greater appreciation of the value of work, finding a purpose and refuge from the pandemic, according to The Business Resilience: The Global COVID-19 Pandemic Response Study[RA1] .  (08:49)
• The employee experience and technology. At the beginning of the pandemic, many leaders doubted the capabilities and productivity of employees working from home. A year later, there’s a completely new way of thinking about work technology and the employee experience. [10:16]
• Real-time integrations with HRIS platforms. Unum has accelerated work of building technology that integrates with popular HRIS platforms for a seamless experience for employers and employees alike. Intuitive technology like this helps employers overcome administration challenges and focus more on the employee experience. [12:58]
• Benefits are essentials. Now is the time for the benefits industry to start thinking about how to deliver a digital, consumer-like experience to employees. What was once viewed as optional benefits are now seen as essential parts of the work experience and employee productivity.  (15:48)
• HR tech objectives. In 2021, innovations in HR technology are trying to get HR teams back at what they do best and where they have the biggest business impacts – with simplistic and thoughtful designs and solutions.  (18:00)
• Mental health is critically important. As more employers adopt mental health programs, employers and leaders can promote mental and emotional well-being by incorporating it into the workplace culture while technology can help easily deliver access to the appropriate support and care. [20:40]

 Josh Bersin
Global Industry Analyst, Dean, Josh Bersin Academy

Josh Bersin founded Bersin & Associates in 2001 to provide research and advisory services focused on corporate learning. He expanded the company’s coverage to encompass HR, talent management, talent acquisition, and leadership and became a recognized expert in the talent market.

Mike Simonds
Executive Vice President, COO of Unum Group

Mike Simonds is the Chief Operating Officer of Unum Group, one of The Ethisphere Institute’s world’s most ethical companies. Since joining Unum in 1994, Simonds has worked in various leadership roles and has helped lead the company’s focus on customer satisfaction and expansion into voluntary, dental and vision benefits..

 Swapnil Prabha
Vice President, Digital Offerings, Unum

With 15 years of experience in the insurance industry, Swapnil is the Vice President of Digital Offerings at Unum. Prior to joining Unum, Swapnil spent seven years at McKinsey & Company where she was a leader in the Insurance Practice focused on Digital Services across all lines of business and Employee Benefits specifically.

Listen in as Dr. Philip Levendusky of the world-renowned McLean Hospital joins Unum’s Swapnil Prabha, to discuss the worsening mental health crisis in the U.S. and how innovative employer behavioral health programs can help remove the barriers to care.

• A continuing trend. Mental health issues have been on the rise for the past five years.  [2:18]
• Gen Z suffering most. People aged 18 to 24 accounted for 56% of those reporting symptoms of anxiety disorder and/or depressive disorders during the pandemic. [8:21]
• Access is major difficulty. Inpatient psychological treatment, in short supply before the pandemic, reached critical scarcity, with some young people spending as much as seven days in the emergency room waiting to be admitted. [13:17]
• Stigma is continuing barrier. Employers need to take the weight off of the people in their organizations by making it clear that needing and seeking help is OK. [14:10]
• Digital benefits can help solve for access. By directing people with less serious issues to digital and self-help tools, innovative behavioral health programs can help with demand management. [16:30]
• Employer advocacy is critical. From training to policies to making sure behavioral health providers are transparent and accountable, employers have a big role to play in helping employees take advantage of the behavioral health benefits offered at work. [18:00]
• Returning to the workplace. Returning to work will have issues of its own, which employers can combat with clear communications, small steps and promotion of resources to help.  [19:45]
• Additional resources: Webinar, Supporting behavioral health at work.

<Previous episode

Featured speakers

Dr. Philip Levendusky

Director of Psychology, McLean Hospital; Associate Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School 

For more than three decades, Dr. Philip Levendusky has directed and/or developed more than 30 cutting-edge clinical programs at McLean Hospital. He is recognized nationally and internationally as a pioneer of integrated cognitive-behavioral treatment systems for persons with serious mental illness. In addition, he has inspired a generation of students to achieve excellence in the pursuit of their professional careers.

Swapnil Prabha

Vice President, Digital Offerings, Unum

With 15 years of experience in the insurance industry, Swapnil is the Vice President of Digital Offerings at Unum. 

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How employers can mitigate a looming mental health crisis

Thought leaders from Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital and Unum explore key survey findings showing how U.S. employers are reacting to complexities caused by school closures, rising mental health challenges and the potential impacts to benefits enrollment season.

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Why employers expect a mental health crisis this fall

Survey findings reveal how employers across the U.S. are planning amid continued school disruptions, rising mental health concerns and a critically important benefits enrollment season.

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Unum employment law experts Daris Freeman and Tamika Newson join Clare Morin in the HR Trends studio to update employers on legal considerations for leave, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and other issues as employees begin returning to offices and worksites after the pandemic.

• Challenges from rise of remote/hybrid work: 
  • Most leave laws don’t address the complexities of remote or hybrid work. With more people working away from the company’s physical location, employers are struggling to determine which leave laws apply to which employees. Some states have provided clear guidance, while others have not. Checking with your legal counsel is the wisest course of action for making correct, consistent decisions. (1:30)
  • With workers scattered to different cities, states and even countries since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s even more important for leave administrators to ensure that employee information is up to date. They also need to put clear parameters around their policies — most will not want to administer leave for workers living in foreign countries, for example. (5:00)
• ADA and vaccinations:
  • Employers who decide to mandate vaccinations may face ADA discrimination claims from those who aren’t vaccinated. On the other hand, vaccinated employees may not feel safe returning to work with unvaccinated co-workers and may have claims of their own. (6:30)
  • Guidance on this issue is evolving daily, so employers should stay engaged to be sure they are following the latest regulations. (8:19)
  • Note: After this podcast was recorded, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new guidance reaffirming that federal equal employment opportunity laws do not prohibit employers from requiring or incentivizing vaccination, provided they comply with ADA and other accommodation provisions.
• Return to work best practices:
  • To help employees feel safe, employers can implement in-work accommodations such as mask requirements and six-foot spacing between desks. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have outlined some guidance in this area. (8:50)
  • Temporary work from home can also be considered an accommodation, but be sure the basis for requiring a return to the workplace is clear. Also revisit relevant job descriptions to make clear that being in the workplace is an essential job function. Consistent practices are important. (9:58)
  • For positions that transition to permanent work from home, formal standards for remote work should be implemented, such as requiring that employees have a dedicated workspace free of distractions. (11:05)

Featured speakers

Daris Freeman
Assistant Vice President and Legal Counsel, Unum's Employment Law Group

As Assistant Vice President, Legal Counsel for Unum, Daris’ primary responsibility is to support Unum’s Absence Management Center which administers FMLA, paid leave, ADA and over 200 complementary state laws. 

Tamika Newson
Assistant Vice President and Legal Counsel, Unum's Employment Law Group

Tamika Newson joined Unum after 22 years of employment law counseling and litigation as a Partner in several large law firms. Prior to joining Unum, she litigated employment matters nationwide. 

As we move into a tight labor market in the second half of 2021, organizations will need a strong employee benefits messaging strategy to recruit and retain talent. However, for this strategy to work, organizations must educate their workforce about their benefits offering. 

In this podcast episode, Chris Bernadine, Sr., Chief Enrollment Officer at Meridio, and Rob Quell, a Vice President at Colonial Life, discuss the importance of year-round benefits education and provide tactical tips for employers to maintain benefits communications throughout the year.

• The correlation between retention and employee satisfaction. Current data shows the direct connection between how well companies are educating employees on benefits to overall employee satisfaction and retention levels. [01:58]
• Employee benefits is a recruitment and retention technique. We look at the top three reasons why employees choose to work for an employer and why they stay. [03:38]
• Take a year-round approach to benefits education. For most organizations, enrollment happens during the fourth quarter, with benefits education squeezed into that short period before open enrollment. However, organizations that communicate to employees throughout the year tend to be more successful with their benefits strategy. [05:02]
• Major life changes and events. Individual circumstances and lives are constantly changing. Employers need to remind employees to re-evaluate their benefits selection and those parts with time sensitivity during life events. [11:25]
• Six tips for year-round benefits communication. Best practices and tactical tips for employers to improve benefits education.  [14:03]
• Additional resources: SHRM webinar, The power of benefits education all year round.  

 Christopher Bernardine Sr.
Chief Enrollment Officer, Meridio 

Chris is the current Chief Enrollment Officer of Meridio, a benefit communication software and enrollment company that specializes in working with associations, insurance agencies, business consultants and carriers. In this role, he oversees the operations and enrollment of the business. Chris has over 30 years of dedicated experience in benefit communication and employee benefits. 

 
Rob Quell
Vice President of Broker and Special Market Development, Colonial Life

Rob is the Vice President, Broker and Special Market Development for Colonial Life.  In this role, Rob is responsible for leading an organization focused on developing and executing strategies to offer insurance products and enrollment services in partnership with brokers to their employer clients.  His team also works with Colonial Life’s largest and most complex clients to evaluate the strategic use of benefits programs to achieve their business objectives, as well as specialization in key industry segments including public sector.  Rob has previously held roles in Large Employer Sales, Enrollment Technology, IT Portfolio Management, Underwriting, and Claims.  He has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in International Business from the Darla Moore School of Business (University of South Carolina).  He is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI) and Associate of Life and Health Claims (ALHC).

Tech is transforming every aspect of today’s business world, and this now includes leave and absence management. In this episode, two of Unum’s top leave experts discuss how innovations have and will continue to fundamentally transform the employee and employer experience.  

• A perfect storm for today’s HR teams. Changing conditions have been building around HR complexities, leading to a need for digital transformation. [2:15] 
• Navigating the growing complexities. With 65% of calls being claim or leave related at Unum, it’s clear this is a top priority for employees and clients alike. This sheer volume and complexity of requests is across the board in the industry. [3:30]  
• Demand for the real-time support everyone expects. Technological advancements keep employees and HR teams on the same page. [5:17] 
• Employer goals for leave are changing. Trends in leave and absence management are evolving from solely compliance-centered to recruitment- and retention-focused. [6:45]
• A state-of-the-art and modern ecosystem is needed. Multiple capabilities must be integrated and automated to better meet the needs of HR and employees. [8:30]
• Additional resources: Webinar, How tech is transforming leave management.

Featured Speakers 

Zory Harter
Vice President, Absence Management Experience, Unum

For more than 12 years, Zory Harter has been one of the most impactful operational leaders at Unum. She joined the organization to lead the voluntary benefits and bilingual team in the call center — and has since served a variety of leadership roles. Her contributions to the operations design for Unum’s newest leave offering, Total Leave, saw her driving considerable operational transformations with new technology, processes and techniques to deliver a digital-first absence management service to employees and HR administrators. Zory continues to lead absence management teams across the organization by furthering Unum’s operational digital transformation and delivering an improved digital customer experience in the leave and absence space.

Susan Stowell
Vice President, Absence Management Offering, Unum

Susan Stowell drives the strategic vision for new enhancements to Unum’s leave and absence portfolio, guiding investments that improve the user experience with a modern, digital toolset. In this role, Susan interacts with customers across the United States in helping to solve their greatest leave management pain points and driving their strategic vision and digital intelligence. Previously, Susan led Unum’s Workforce Solutions consulting team, positively impacting customers’ experiences with unplanned absences. She has also worked extensively in healthcare.

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The future of leave guide 

This guide gives employers the tools they need to innovate and streamline to create a future-forward leave and absence management strategy.
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Best practices for managing intermittent leave
July 21, 2021 

Three national experts share their insights to help HR teams address the ongoing challenges of intermittent leave and give employers the tools they need to transform their existing intermittent leave plan.
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The pandemic continues to disrupt daily lives as the Delta variant of COVID-19 sweeps through the country. The rate of stress-related disorders has also started to rise again amid ongoing unpredictability. In this episode, we speak to two behavioral health experts on how employers can best support employees this fall.

• Employers play a vital role in supporting employee mental health. Providing support may look different in hybrid and remote working situations, but it’s all the more important and in even greater demand. [5:00]  
• Clear communication is key. Studies show that one of the largest sources of stress is unpredictability. Clarity, patience and flexibility are critical in these times. [7:35]
• Make resources easy to find. It can be stressful for employees to have to search for support. Streamline mental health resources in one central hub to support employees, rather than overwhelm. [9:37]
• The pandemic has accelerated virtual access. With the rise of digital access, care and support can be accessed at almost any time from nearly any location with no drive-time required. [11:10] 
• Create a culture of trust. Provide a safe place for people to open up and be vulnerable about what they’re feeling to promote understanding and enhance team building. [13:42] 
• Leaders set the tone. Prioritize executive education so that employees are encouraged to access resources by seeing examples and role models among the leadership. [15:57]
• We remain in challenging times: all hands on deck are needed. Resources like Mental Health First Aidempower employees to become advocates for organizational wellbeing. [17:20] 
• Additional resources: Webinar, Supporting behavioral health at work.

Featured Speakers 

 Kerry Ressler
M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, McLean Hospital and Professor, Harvard Medical School 

Kerry J. Ressler, M.D., Ph.D., focuses on translational research, bridging molecular neurobiology in animal models with human genetic and epigenetic research on emotion, particularly fear and anxiety disorders. He has published over 300 manuscripts, ranging from genetic basic molecular mechanisms of fear processing to understanding how emotion is encoded in the brain across animal models and human patients.

Swapnil Prabha
Vice President, Digital Offerings, Unum

With 15 years of experience in the insurance industry, Swapnil is the Vice President of Digital Offerings at Unum. Prior to joining Unum, Swapnil spent seven years at McKinsey & Company where she was a leader in the Insurance Practice, focused on Digital Services across all lines of business and Employee Benefits specifically.

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Harnessing employee engagement to support mental health 

May 26, 2021 

This informative article breaks down how employers can help employees get the help they need. 

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Ask the legal experts: Revisiting COVID-19, paid leave and the ADA   

May 20, 2021 

In this event organized by Human Resource Executive (HRE), thought leaders discuss top-of-mind issues facing employers. 

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The President’s vaccine mandate

Employment law and compliance expert Ellen McCann explores what we know about the President’s vaccine mandate so far. She discusses which employees are covered, how the mandate will be implemented, prospects for litigation and what it all means for employers.

Enrollment season is upon us – and perhaps has never been more important. There is an increased demand for better benefits, and an enrollment experience that integrates innovative technology with authentic, individualized and human connection. In this episode, HR technology and enrollment experts share their top recommendations, including:  

• Personalized benefits are trending. Steve Boese shares insights from his role as Program Chair of the HR Technology Conference. Organizations should prioritize employee development, skill identification and an enriched career path. [2:00] 
• There must be a balance between technology and human interaction. A successful enrollment season will need to include innovative ways to connect with individual employees. [5:24] 
• There are generational differences in benefits enrollment needs and preferences. Millennials, now ranging in age from 25-40, have been challenged by the pandemic more than any other age demographic. [6:45] 
• Benefits are top of mind. A recent survey found that 8 in 10 employers believe the pandemic has made employees more aware of available benefits. [8:00] 
•  To make a real difference in the employee experience, education is key. A robust benefits offering is ineffective if employees are not well-informed. [11:28]
• Today’s employees expect varied benefits education methods. Survey results show value in both online and in-person enrollment support. [13:03]
• Expect new enrollment this year. Data shows that 80% of employees will seek out enrollment opportunities that they hadn’t engaged with in the past. [13:30]
• Use benefits to support recruitment and retention. The tight labor market and increased employee interest should encourage all employers to prioritize promoting the current benefits offering. [18:28] 
• Additional resources: Webinar, Enrollment strategies for the new world of work. 

Featured Speakers 

 Steve Boese, HR Technology Conference Co-Chair, H3 HR Advisors

Steve Boese is the Program Chair and host of the HR Technology Conference, the leading global event for the HR Technology Industry, and a technology columnist for Human Resource Executive Magazine.  Additionally, Steve Co-founded H3 HR Advisors Inc., and is a frequent author and speaker on Human Resources, HR Technology, and the workplace. He created and co-hosts the popular podcast the “HR Happy Hour Show”, which is the most downloaded Human Resources podcast since its inception in 2009. 

Marilyn Miller, Chief People Officer, Anaplan 

Marilyn Miller is the Chief People Officer (CPO) of Anaplan. Prior to Anaplan, Marilyn was the CPO at Alfresco Software. Marilyn also was the Chief Human Resources Officer at Quotient Technology and held senior leadership positions at URS/AECOM, BMC Software, and Cisco Systems. Marilyn holds a B.S. in political science and government from the University of Iowa and completed course work for her M.A. in labor and industrial relations from the University of Minnesota.

Julie Schwetz, Assistant Vice President, Product Manager, Unum 

Julie Schwetz has worked in various product leadership, change management, and operational effectiveness roles since joining Unum in 2018. She currently oversees digital transformation efforts related to enrollment and engagement of the insured, their employers, and brokers alike. Prior to joining Unum, Julie served 13 years in the U.S. Army as a logistician in numerous stateside assignments and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Her last military assignment was at West Point where she led core higher education functions.

As a follow-up to Episode 34 on the federal vaccine mandate, Unum employment law and compliance expert Ellen McCann joins guest host Nate Smith with updates for employers on OSHA’s most recent guidance, outlining what employers need to know, what clarifications occurred with OSHA’s guidance and important timelines to consider.* 

-        Employers with 100 or more employees will need to choose which route to take. Under OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard, employers can choose between requiring 1) All employees to be vaccinated 2) Employees to choose between weekly testing or full vaccination.  [3:15] 

-        The mandate plan has several components that relate to different type of employees. For example, employees who work exclusively from home will not be subject to this mandate. In this case, they will need to be tested before coming into the workplace. [4:58] 

-        These new requirements are set to go into effect in the near future. OSHA has published a chart on their website that shows compliance dates and requirements. [7:05] 

-        No matter which route employers take, precise record-keeping will be critical. Supportive solutions will help employers manage the complex requirements, from proof of vaccination status to testing results to vaccination exemptions. [8:41]

-        The right technology solution can help employers.  Systems like Unum Vaccine Verifier make it easy for employers to maintain an accurate, up-to-date vaccination and test result roster in one place. [15:43]

-        How do recent court rulings impact employers? The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued an injunction, halting the mandate for the time-being. Be on the lookout for more information as the case proceeds. [19:24]

-        Additional resources: How the federal vaccine mandate may affect employers. 

*Currently subject to a temporary stay by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.  

Featured Speaker 

Ellen McCann

Assistant Vice President of Unum Solutions

Ellen McCann has expertise in leave management, specifically the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As Assistant Vice President, Unum Solutions, she combines more than 30 years of employment law experience with practical knowledge of the complexities of leave and accommodation management to create solutions that help employers manage the complex leave process. Currently, she supports Total Leave, Unum’s digital leave management solution, and Unum Vaccine Verifier, a simple, secure way to verify vaccination status, manage exemptions and manage COVID testing compliance.

Previously, Ellen worked in the Employment Law Group, providing support to Unum’s Absence Management Center and advised Human Resources on employment-related legal issues for more than 20 years. She worked at Davis, Malm & D’Agostine law firm in Boston prior to joining Unum. She is also a certified trainer for the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

To ring in the new year, CEOs from the American Psychological Association and MaineHealth join host Clare Morin to discuss why investing in behavioral health in 2022 is not just good for your employees but also good for your business. 

Key Takeaways

The psychological fallout of the pandemic has only just begun. The pandemic unleashed a tsunami of stress that will continue to be felt even once COVID-19 is gone. (3:50)

This is a long-term project for employers. Military studies have shown that people who experience traumatic events often don’t show signs of stress and anxiety until 18 months after the event had taken place. (5:40) “This is going to go on for years.” (7:00)

Behavioral health is a huge factor in retention. Employees who report feeling stressed at work are three times more likely to look for other jobs than those who do not report feeling stressed. (8:00)

Leaders should set the tone. It’s important for leaders to create space for employees to seek help by sharing their own struggles and showing vulnerability. (10:25)

Make resources easy to find. For resources to be effective, employees must be able to use them. Ensure they are accessible, intuitive, and ideally available on demand. (12:00)

Early intervention saves lives and money. Mental health is a continuum and it’s more humane and more cost-effective to intervene before an employee is in crisis. (13:15)

Ensure employees feel heard when making major decisions. Mental health problems are often caused by a feeling of a lack of control. Giving employees choices and input into decisions reduces stress. (14:40)

Showing care can help employers compete. “It’s a huge strategic opportunity for employers to demonstrate genuine and authentic caring as a retention, as a recruitment, as a development opportunity,” says Dr. Andrew Mueller, CEO of MaineHealth. (18:40)

This crisis is manageable. “If we create work environments that are supportive of mental health, making sure they have access to services when they need them, it can make all the difference for your employees,” says Dr. Evans. (20:15)

Featured speakers: 

Arthur Evans, Jr., PhD
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President, American Psychological Association 

Dr. Arthur Evans is CEO of the American Psychological Association, the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the U.S. With over 122,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as members, APA promotes and disseminates psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve lives – a mission consistent with Dr. Evans’ life work. 

Andrew T. Mueller, MD
Chief Executive Officer, MaineHealth

Andrew Mueller, MD, is CEO of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of nine local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and 1,700 employed and independent physicians. With more than 22,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. 

Related content:
Webinar
Building a behavioral health strategy for the new world of work

November 4, 2021

Thought leaders from the American Psychological Association, MaineHealth and Unum discuss the current state of employee mental health, and key elements for a strong behavioral health strategy for 2022 and beyond.

What should employers know about federal COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandates, after the January 13 Supreme Court ruling? Legal expert Ellen McCann walks HR listeners through the current status of the three federal mandates and what employers should do now to ensure a safe workplace.

Background: The three federal mandates. They are (1) the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) or private employer mandate, (2) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or health care worker mandate, and (3) the federal contractor mandate. All three have been tied up in litigation. On January 13, the Supreme Court weighed in on the private employer and health care worker mandates. [1:19]

What does the Supreme Court ruling mean for the private employer mandate? For now the ETS is paused, which means OSHA cannot enforce it. It is not actually struck down, although the Supreme Court’s reasoning suggests that it may eventually be declared unconstitutional. [3:27]

What does this mean for employers? Employers who are only subject to the ETS have a little bit of breathing room as OSHA cannot enforce this mandate for now. The Supreme Court ruling does not prevent employers from instituting their own vaccine or test requirements. Employers should work with their legal counsel to see if they are subject to any state or local laws requiring or preventing implementation of their own program to keep employees safe at work. [5:25]

What happened with the health care worker mandate? The Supreme Court lifted the stay on this mandate, meaning most health care workers are now required to get vaccinated before coming to their workplace. The deadlines have been moved for workers in states where the healthcare mandate had previously been stayed. [8:44]

What can employers do to handle the complexity of this new HR burden? The pandemic in general and the vaccine mandate have created a record level of complexity for HR teams. Technology solutions like Unum Vaccine Verifier™ can help. Vaccine Verifier is designed to address the most complex aspects of vaccine-or-test mandates in that it not only provides a way to track vaccine status and testing compliance, it helps guide employers through the sensitive process of managing exemption requests. [10:31]

Finally, where does the federal contractor mandate stand? This mandate was stayed earlier in lower courts, so employers will need to wait and see whether it ever takes effect. But again, the stay doesn’t stop employers from adopting their own policies to protect their employees at work. Unum Vaccine Verifier and other technology solutions are available to help organize and enforce whatever policies employers have, while keeping all documentation in one secure place. [13:47]

Where should employers focus in the coming weeks, now that the Supreme Court has ruled? Sit down with your counsel and senior leaders and decide how you want to show up for your employees. What’s your corporate philosophy and culture about keeping your workplace safe and helping employees feel comfortable coming back to the work site, if that’s your goal. Also, as we saw on January 13, rules can change in a minute, so use your counsel to help you stay up to date and make sure they are on board with any policy you adopt. [14:55]

Featured speaker

Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Unum Group Solutions

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA. She is also a certified trainer for SHRM and CE credit. In her current role, Ellen serves as a leading expert in applying benefits and benefits technology to power modern solutions to more effective employee leave programs, stronger regulatory compliance and enhanced digital HR transformation.

On the heels of the Supreme Court’s stay of the private employer vaccine mandate, OSHA has withdrawn its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) while it works on a permanent rule. In the meantime, employers remain responsible for keeping employees safe from COVID-19 at work. Ellen McCann joins guest host Nate Smith to discuss this latest development.

OSHA withdrew the ETS but has not abandoned the idea of an employer mandate. On January 25, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it was withdrawing its ETS, thereby making the litigation in the 6th Circuit moot. Instead it will focus on crafting a proposed permanent rule, based on public comments and likely what it has gleaned from the January 13 Supreme Court ruling that stayed the ETS. 

What might the permanent rule look like? OSHA asked some specific questions in its request for public comments, which may provide some clues about what the agency will consider when crafting the permanent rule. 

Does this change the CMS health care mandate? No. That mandate, which was issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) not OSHA, goes forward, although it is still being challenged in a lower court. 

Are any state or local laws affected by the OSHA decision? Since OSHA withdrew the ETS, it has no impact on state or local laws. . Employers should be aware of the patchwork of city and state laws out there — both requiring and prohibiting vaccine mandates.

What should employers do next, in the midst of all this confusion? Employers should bear in mind that there is still a “general duty” clause under the Occupational Safety and Health Act which requires employers to provide their employees with a safe work environment. They should work with their counsel to determine how to fulfill this responsibility.

Featured speaker

Ellen McCann
Assistant Vice President, Unum Group Solutions

Ellen McCann is an acclaimed national speaker on leave management issues including FMLA and ADA. She is also a certified trainer for SHRM and CE credit. As a former Legal Counsel for Unum’s Employment Law Group, Ellen has advised companies on all employment-related legal issues. In her current role, Ellen serves as a leading expert in applying benefits and benefits technology to power modern solutions to more effective employee leave programs, stronger regulatory compliance and enhanced digital HR transformation.