This week, planning for the DMEC 20th Annual Conference is underway! Mark your calendar for the conference August 2-5 in San Francisco and register [here](https://dmec.formstack.com/forms/ac15registration).
Here are a few conference highlights we’re most looking forward to:
**1. Getting Updates on What’s Next in Washington**
Hearing from FMLA Branch Chief Helen Applewhaite, Pierce Blue from the EEOC, Jeff Nowak from FMLA Insights and Jackie Willingham from The Standard for the panel, [Washington Update: Don’t Get Caught Unprepared](http://dmec.org/annual-conference/).
**2.
Gearing Up for the #DMECAC15 Conference
Optis Featured in DMEC’s @Work Magazine: Who Owns Your Data?
Discover the five steps to successful data and vendor management from Optis’ Executive VP, [Rene Gates](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/rene-gates/6/a03/6b9), in the [latest issue](https://dmec.secure.force.com/?RelayState=Default) of [DMEC’s @Work magazine](https://dmec.secure.force.com/?RelayState=Default) (members-only content.)
Going All-in Next Week at #DMEC2014 in Vegas
We’re packing our bags and going all-in for the [2014 DMEC Annual Conference](http://dmec.org/annual-conference/) next week at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. We’ll be at booth 412 talking with HR folks about the challenges they face while managing employee leave. We’ll also be doing a drawing for a Tory Burch handbag and an iPad mini, so stop by and test your luck for a chance to win.
*Here’s a list of tid-bits to know to become a “high-roller” in managing FMLA leave:*
+ FMLA has been around for over 20 years, and we would put our money on expanding guidelines.
Look at Your Data, Lower Your Costs: OCI Featured in DMEC’s @Work Magazine!
Expensive changes to health plans from new laws such as mental health parity and health reform are forcing employers to look for savings across every department in their organization.
Often, an enterprise will look to making changes in their benefit plans to save money – and disability plans offer a lot of opportunities for savings. But, choosing the correct plan elements to adjust poses a challenge for most organizations.
Leverage Technology to Manage & Track FMLA at DMEC
Are you faced with compliance concerns, extended leave durations, and administrative overload? Uncover industry best practices and learn how to track multiple leave types in a cloud based system during the session, "*Leveraging Technology to Manage & Track FMLA efficiently*" at the DMEC Conference.
[The DMEC International Conference](http://www.dmec.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=460) will be held in Denver this year from August 12 – 15th at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel.
Should FMLA Tracking be an Olympic Sport?
The exercise of managing and tracking FMLA in today’s work environment requires training, dedication to excellence (aka compliance), and endurance.
Leave managers must be committed to obtaining the education necessary to understand the internal and external (state and federal) policies governing employee absence.
Twitter for Human Resources & Leave Managers
At the recent [DMEC conference](http://web.oci.com/blog/bid/154112/DMEC-Conference-Recap-Leveraging-Technology-to-Manage-FMLA-Leaves), we had the opportunity to talk with a lot of people we’ve met ‘virtually’ but never before in person. It was exciting to put a face to the Twitter handle and make off-line connections.
However, in one conversation, we met someone who we hadn’t met online.