FMLA and Workplace Compliance: Review, Audits and Investigations

Webinar Agenda:

• Why is an FMLA audit needed?
• What are you trying to achieve in your audit?
• Reviewing your FMLA policy – does it have all of the legal requirements?
• Running leave concurrently
• Administering leave
• Getting the medical information you need
• Required documentation
• FMLA forms
• Posting requirements

Webinar Agenda:

• Step-by-step checklist for how to ensure FMLA compliance, from when employee first takes leave until the end of the leave
• Review of HR’s responsibilities for ensuring that the employee is eligible and is taking leave for an FMLA-qualifying reason
• Understand the legal definition of a serious health condition and how to apply this definition when approving FMLA leave
• Learn the definitions of parent, spouse and child
• Tips on counting the 12-month period
• Medical certifications and recertifications: What you can and cannot do
• Intermittent and reduced schedule leave
• Reinstatement to the same or an equivalent job
• Tips for drafting a legally compliant FMLA policy

Webinar Agenda:

• Identify the most common types of internal investigations
• Learn how to ask questions and determine the "level of significance" in employee complaints to identify if an investigation is necessary 
• Learn how to obtain and document a statement of complaint
• Understand the legal obligations that require employers to conduct internal investigations
• Learn why documentary and physical evidence is critical
• Learn some very basic principles in preparing for witness interviews
• Learn how to establish a chain of custody and a confidential retention process
• How to analyze physical, documentary, and testimonial evidence to identify policies and/or laws that have been violated
• Learn a simple format for documenting investigative findings
• Learn best practices in handling disciplinary action and terminations to avoid stepping on legal land mines

Webinar Agenda:

• Learn the basics of handling employee complaints - determine if the issue is drama or a debacle that needs investigating 
• Learn how to obtain a statement of complaint and what should go into it
• Know about various legal obligations required by employers to conduct internal investigations
• Learn the basics of gathering documentary and physical evidence prior to witness interviewing
• Know the standard format which is prevalent for documenting investigative findings
• Know the best practices to handle disciplinary action and terminations to avoid stepping on legal land mines

Webinar Agenda:

• Understand the employer obligations under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Identify the most common abuses of FMLA and why it's happening
• Recognize key aspects of the FMLA that make it easier for employers to curb abuse
• Identify strategies for identifying abuse, how to effectively document FMLA to confront abusers, and how to take effective steps managing FMLA abuse investigations
• Recognize the company policies you must have in place to effectively manage FMLA leave—and curb abuse of leave
• Determine which internal resources need to be leveraged to prevent FMLA abuse
• Acquire knowledge of how to conduct an effective investigation and how to acquire physical, documentary, and testimonial evidence
• Recognize the “flags of FMLA abuse” to help managers spot the patterns
• Determine who you need to involve in an internal investigation
• Distinguish the risks in just getting testimonial evidence to support a FMLA abuse case
• Evaluate investigative findings to prepare an investigative report that is court-ready