**By Scott Lenox, National Sales Representative at OCI**
This week, we’re tackling Part II of the blog series ***Leave Management Software, No Really, Where Do I Start?!***
Fully understanding the benefits your software vendor can provide, not only to your department, but other departments, and to the overall organization, will assist you in your internal discussions. Often times, purchasing a Leave Management software system will include different departments and decision makers.
Two departments that are typically included during the decision-making process are IT and Finance.
Leave Management Software, No Really, Where Do I Start?! - Part II
How Well Do You Know Your Leave Data?
***Are you able to determine what number of employees are absent from your organization each day? Do you know who’s out, why they are out, and how long their leave duration is anticipated to be? Managing this information on a daily basis sounds overwhelming.
Ch-ch-ch-Changes....in FMLA
Recently, the state of Tennessee amended *TCA, Title 8, Chapter 33, Part 1* regarding employees in military service. This may mean absolutely nothing to you. But, if you have employees in the state of Tennessee, you need to know what the amendment was and how it affects your employees’ leave eligibility.
In a time of frequent legislative changes, varying court rulings, and ever-evolving state and federal leave laws, it can be confusing for a Leave Specialist or HR Manager to keep track of which laws apply their employees.
Looking for Answers: OCI Leave Survey
At the annual SHRM conference in Atlanta, GA, OCI hosted our first-ever survey focusing on leave management. We set out to understand some of the issues facing employers with regard to absence, how important technology is to our human resources clients, and gain some insights into the issues on the mind of leave specialists.
The response at SHRM was very strong! We had several hundred booth visitors, many of whom took the survey.
Manage Leave Smarter (Not Harder)
We recently came across [an article](http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/07/why_hr_still_isnt_a_strategic_partner.html) that declared that many HR professionals still aren’t a part of the strategic leadership team at 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.
Intermittent FMLA: Tips to Stop Banging Your Head Against the Wall
Is there any bigger headache for HR managers than the one brought on by intermittent FMLA? The laws, the chronic conditions, the snippets of time….. It will eventually drive even the most organized leave professional to head vs. wall madness.
Is there anything to do but take an Advil?
Yes.
HR Tech Recap: HR Professionals need Optis!
Earlier this week, Optis unveiled its new look at the 15th HR Technology Conference & Expo in Chicago, IL! Aside from buzzing with excitement over our new brand, we were able to speak with top HR Managers & Leave Specialists regarding the challenges and business issues they face each day.
A top concern for most Leave Managers continues to be understanding and remaining compliant with ever-changing federal and state FMLA laws.
Introducing Optis: The Expert in People Data
It’s no secret that OCI has undergone an evolution this year. Our people data management expertise has brought about a transformation: **OCI is now Optis**.
Optis is launching with a new logo and website. The fresh look reflects the evolving technology and data services industry and Optis’ future in providing you with excellence in people data management services.
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.