Employee absences typically entail complex administration, compliance with state and federal legislation, support for returning to work, claims management, and reporting. This information is often siloed in different systems and departments within an organization, making it difficult to obtain a holistic view of any given employee’s unique circumstances. By integrating absence management with claims administration in a single solution, employers can transform their processes and prioritize their employees.
The County of Los Angeles puts employees first with unified approach to absence management
A prime example of an employer making strides to put their employees first is the County of Los Angeles, as they have adopted a single system for claims administration, risk management, absence management, loss prevention, corrective action plans, and legal case management. Now that absence management is fully integrated with other programs, the County can easily assess an employee’s situation to provide more options for benefits, return to work, and other needs. This personalized approach results in a better employee experience and improved job satisfaction for County staff, who can focus more on improving conditions and claim outcomes.
Employers can transform absence management with a central software solution
In particular, employers can benefit from absence management software in these 5 ways:
- Simplify absence management with a central system and workflow automation
A single employee absence can generate a significant volume of correspondence and administrative tasks. With a central software solution for absence management, you can easily track and monitor absence information and take appropriate action when needed. Authorized users can check eligibility; determine absence type; track certification, hours lost, and time off; and manage restrictions and accommodations. With workflow automation, diaries and emails can automatically be triggered based on key events, and the system can send notifications to provide status updates. Administration can contact absent employees promptly, and employees can stay informed on how much time they have left for absences.
- Design absence programs based on your unique requirements
Every employer has unique internal processes and objectives, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to absence management. With user friendly software, you can easily create an absence management program with a template and modify it as needed. You can structure your absence programs to align with your unique requirements, with flexibility to adjust elements as your needs evolve. With automated business rules, you can easily make updates based on new processes.
- Maintain compliance with state and federal legislation
Absence management covers several different types of leaves, including the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), short- and long-term disability, company leaves, jury duty, and more. Maintaining compliance with so many different programs can be challenging, especially when employees have unique needs and timelines associated with their absences. With a fully integrated software solution, you can ensure that you never miss an important deadline and that your employees’ absences are documented and managed properly.
- Link claim information with absence management.
Depending on the nature of an absence, an employee may need to file a claim. In workers’ compensation, for example, a claim would likely be directly related to an injury that causes an employee to miss work for a designated period of time. By having the claim and absence management information in one system, you can streamline your processes, ensure timely handling of claims, and provide more individualized return-to-work support. Depending on your claim volume, it could be beneficial to look for a software provider that offers robust claims administration software with absence management capabilities.
- Achieve a holistic view of your employees and improve outcomes.
Like the County of LA, employers can provide more personalized service to employees by obtaining a holistic view of their needs. When information is stored in siloed systems and managed by different departments, it can be difficult to gather all the necessary details related to an employee’s unique situation. With a central solution, you can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time helping your employees.
A successful absence management program allows employers to plan, track, and oversee various employee leaves efficiently and effectively. Employers continue to refine their absence management programs with technology to meet the evolving needs of their employees.
Next Steps
To learn more about how to integrate absence management and claims administration, read our success story with the County of Los Angeles.
