Leave Management & Compliance: What Employers Must Know During Open Enrollment
- Ahrise Consultant Team
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 13
Get your HR team aligned for Open Enrollment with a compliant leave management strategy. Learn how FMLA, ADA, and state laws impact your policies and planning.
Leave management is a critical HR function that goes far beyond tracking vacation or sick days. It is a compliance-heavy area that intersects with federal, state, and local employment laws—and it becomes even more important during Open Enrollment season when employees review benefit options and ask questions about time off eligibility.
Let’s break down how employers can proactively manage leave while aligning this strategy with their benefits planning.
What is Leave Management?
Leave management refers to the process of handling employee absences in a structured, compliant, and consistent way. This includes:
Federal Leave Mandates→ Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Disability-related Accommodations→ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
State-Specific Leave Laws→ Paid Family Leave, Paid Sick Leave, etc.
Whether employees are planning maternity leave, recovering from surgery, or caring for a family member, your policies must clearly explain the types of leave available, how to request them, and what protections are in place.
FMLA: Family and Medical Leave Act
FMLA entitles eligible employees to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for reasons including:
Serious personal health condition
Caring for a spouse, child, or parent with a health issue
Birth or adoption of a child
Military family caregiving or exigency
FMLA Compliance Tips for Employers:
Confirm eligibility (12 months employed, 1,250 hours worked)
Provide required forms:
WH-381 – Notice of Eligibility and Rights
WH-382 – Designation Notice
Keep documentation secure and confidential
Ensure employees return to same or equivalent position
💡 Tip: Update your FMLA policy in the employee handbook before Open Enrollment to ensure clarity and compliance.
ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
Under the ADA, employers must provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities. This may include:
Intermittent or extended unpaid leave
Modified schedules or duties
Remote work options (when feasible)
ADA Compliance Checklist:
Evaluate whether the condition qualifies as a disability
Engage in the interactive process to identify accommodations
Document discussions and outcomes
Apply accommodations consistently
Train managers to recognize and support ADA-related requests
Reminder: Include ADA guidance in your Open Enrollment FAQs or live sessions to reduce confusion about available resources.
State-Specific Leave Laws: Know What Applies
Some states and cities offer more generous or separate leave protections, including:
Paid Family Leave (PFL): CA, NY, NJ
State disability leave programs
Local Paid Sick Leave Ordinances: Often in cities like San Francisco, Seattle, and NYC
To Stay Compliant:
✔ Identify which laws apply based on employee work location
✔ Track leave eligibility and usage separately from FMLA
✔ Provide all required state-specific notices and forms
✔ Update leave policies annually in tandem with open enrollment planning.
Why Tie Leave Management Into Open Enrollment?
While Open Enrollment is focused on selecting benefits, it’s also the ideal time to review and update leave policies—since many benefits (like short-term disability or parental leave coverage) directly tie into how leave is administered.
Employees need to understand how their leave rights and benefits work together
HR needs to ensure that leave-related benefits (like STD/LTD or PFL) are reflected accurately in the benefits portal
It gives HR a chance to communicate changes clearly and proactively, reducing confusion during the year
Pro Tip: Sync Your Leave Policy with Your Benefit Offerings
Aligning leave management with benefit options ensures your HR policies are not only compliant—but strategic. For example:
Leave Type | Related Benefit | Why It Matters |
Maternity Leave | Short-Term Disability (STD) | Employees may use STD during unpaid FMLA leave |
Caregiving Leave | Paid Family Leave (PFL) | Employees may be eligible under state laws |
Extended Sick Leave | Long-Term Disability (LTD) | Coordination ensures financial support continues |
Final Thoughts
Leave management should never be an afterthought. During Open Enrollment, take the opportunity to:
Audit your leave policies
Communicate leave benefits and rights
Update your handbook and portal
Ensure legal compliance across all levels
A compliant, well-communicated leave policy reinforces your commitment to employee well-being while minimizing risk and confusion.
Downloadable Resource
📄Leave Management Checklist for Employers
A must-have tool to audit your FMLA, ADA, and state leave policies. 👇
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Let Ahrise Consultant Group help you align your leave policies with your open enrollment strategy—so you stay compliant, transparent, and employee-ready.
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📚 And read our full HR Pillars Series to ensure every corner of your people strategy is compliant and aligned.
Watch: Think Open Enrollment is only about health insurance? Think again...| Ahrise Consultant Group
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes and does not replace legal guidance
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