Beyond FMLA: Solving the Caregiving Gap in Today’s Workplace
June 4, 2025 - 1:00 PM EDT
As America’s workforce continues to age and caregiving demands rise, HR professionals are caught in a maze of legal compliance, emotional complexity, and practical policy gaps. FMLA was never designed to handle the realities of long-term caregiving, yet that is exactly what today’s employees face—whether caring for a child with special needs, a spouse with a chronic illness, or an aging parent with dementia.
This SHRM-hosted webinar brings clarity to one of the most misunderstood intersections in HR: where FMLA ends and caregiving begins.
Key takeaways:
- What FMLA does and doesn’t cover: decoding the 12-week limit and intermittent leave confusion
- Navigating the patchwork of state and federal leave laws—what every HR pro must know
- Caregiving for a parent vs. a child vs. a spouse—why one-size policies don’t work
- The emotional and financial toll of caregiving: insights from workers and workplace trends
- What progressive employers are doing to support long-term caregivers
- SHRM research preview: upcoming data on caregiving trends and employer responses
Meet the Presenter
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Emily M. Dickens
Emily M. Dickens is a member of the executive team at SHRM, the world’s largest human resources trade association and 4th largest trade association in the world. Emily leads government affairs, global policy, legal affairs, and the SHRM Foundation. She is a recognized expert on workplace issues with media appearances in outlets like CBS News, the Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. She has testified before Congress and the EEOC on topics such as AI, gender bias, and paid leave. Dickens serves on several boards, including the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), and has held leadership roles at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the University of North Carolina System. She is actively involved in community service and serves as the Chair to the Board of Trustees for North Carolina Central University, on the NCNW Board of Directors, and is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Dickens holds degrees from North Carolina Central University and its School of Law.
SHRM certification has approved this webinar for 1 PDC toward SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP recertification. A program code will be provided at the end of the webinar.