As another year of the Lincoln Absence Advisor podcast series concludes, we’re continuing to build on what we’ve learned to help you prepare for the future. This season’s final episode highlights parting words from our diverse group of guests who offer expertise in every facet of leave management — including account management, legal compliance, operations, claims, vocational rehabilitation, and more — as they sum up a unique situations, focus on the essentials, and provide helpful insights and strategies to support your company’s leave and disability program.

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Extended leave, gap time, sabbatical. Whatever the name, it offers employees time they may need to attend to personal matters — and may help attract and retain talent. Meta’s benefit program manager joins the latest Lincoln Absence Advisor as we explore the benefits of this unique extended personal leave. We’ll also discuss how other organizations may approach similar programs and how they handle scheduling, manager education, and workflow.

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Oregon and Colorado are the next two states developing paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs with private plan options. In this episode of Lincoln Absence Advisor, we explore where each state stands, what we know about their private plan processes, and what employers should consider when deciding whether to opt for a private plan. Lincoln leave professionals will also help employers who have chosen a private plan focus on what needs to be done now, what’s coming next, and what remains to be decided by each state.

Resources mentioned: Episode 46 - State vs. private plans: Conversations and considerations

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Over half of current bankruptcies are due to medical bills. It takes a combination of benefits — health insurance, along with disability, leave, and supplemental health including accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity — to be prepared for and prevent devasting financial impacts. During this episode of Lincoln Absence Advisor, our benefits professionals discuss how supplemental health coverage can combine with disability and leave coverage to support on family needs, protect savings and income, and decrease financial stress that may interfere with a timely recovery and return to work.

Resources:

1. David U. Himmelstein et al, “Medical Bankruptcy in the United States, 2007: Results of a National Study,” The American Journal of Medicine, June 6, 2009
2. Lincolns Supplemental Health website

Additional sources:

1. Rose Conlon, "Nearly Half of Americans Would Have Trouble Paying an Unexpected $250 expense," Marketplace, October 15, 2002
2. “The Faces and Facts of Disability,” Social Security Administration, 2019
3. Glenn Pranky, MD et al, “Voluntary Not Voluntary,” Lincoln Financial Group, 2020
4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2000-2021
5. LIMRA 2021

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Short-term disability isn’t a new benefit, but it is a valuable coverage both employees and employers need to understand to ensure they can take full advantage of its features. This Lincoln Absence Advisor podcast explores how STD is perceived, how it interacts with state PFML and company-sponsored leave, and how new trends may affect future STD program offerings.

Resources mentioned:

Podcast episode 50: First point of contact, first point of support

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In this Lincoln Absence Advisor episode, we look at how employers use the interactive process as a standardized framework to find accommodations for employees with disabilities and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Although not formally required, the interactive process is a best practice that helps employers track accommodations and denials, measure effectiveness, and ensure equitable handling of all requests. Members of Lincoln’s product and return-to-work teams help define the process and answer common employer questions. We’ll hear how using the interactive process can result in less liability and more cost-effective accommodations while improving employer retention and morale.

Resources: Lincoln’s Interactive Process Guide | Job Accommodation Network (JAN) | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

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In this episode of Lincoln Absence Advisor, we continue our conversation on the newest paid family and medical leave programs. We discuss what we know about Maryland and Delaware, as well as alternative solutions to paid family and medical leave programs in New Hampshire and Virginia. Find out about both state and private plans, differences between each state’s approach, timelines, and more. Tune in to keep up with the latest trends and plan essential next steps for your company.

Resources:

• April Compliance report that offers an overview of Maryland
• May Compliance report that offers an overview of Delaware
• Lincoln Absence Advisor hub

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More states are enacting paid leave laws and this episode of Lincoln Absence Advisor takes a look at the newest rules and regulations. In part one of two, Lincoln legal and leave professionals explore developing programs in Colorado and Oregon. We discuss how far along each state is in developing its program, timelines, and what makes each one unique. Listen in to keep up with the latest trends and plan essential next steps for your company.

Resources:

• Oregon Paid family and medical leave (OR PFML) insurance website
• Colorado Paid family and medical leave (CO PFML) website
• Lincoln’s OR PFML FAQ
• Lincoln’s CO PFML FAQ

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