HR 202: Leaves of Absence

Location:  Wake Tech Community College – Eastern Wake Campus – 5401 Rolesville Road, Wendell, NC 27591

Pricing: 

• Free for NCLM Pool Members

• $65 per person for non-NCLM Pool Members

Number of AML credits: 2 AML Credits

Course Description: 
Leaves of absence play an important role in HR and employee relations. This benefit, which is a structured, approved, and often legally governed break from work, requires careful management to balance employee needs with the municipal needs of continuity and compliance. This course provides municipal leaders with the rules, requirements, and best practices for implementing a robust leave of absence program.

What to Expect:
In this course, participants will:
• Understand and interpret federal, state, and local regulations—such as FMLA, ADA, and municipal policies—and apply them correctly to real‑world employee situations.
• Learn how to structure workflows, documentation practices, and communication protocols that support employees while maintaining operational continuity.
• Assess overlapping leave types, determine eligibility, and make defensible decisions that reduce legal exposure and strengthen employee relations.

Course topics/agenda:
9:30 am  – Check-in/AM Refreshments
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Legal Frameworks — FMLA, ADA, workers’ compensation, state and federal statutes, and municipal policies that shape leave eligibility and compliance.
• Leave Types — medical, parental, military, personal, and discretionary leaves, including how they overlap or run concurrently.
• Administrative Processes — intake, documentation, tracking, communication protocols, and return‑to‑work procedures.
• Operational Impact — staffing continuity, workload redistribution, budgeting considerations, and service delivery implications.
• Employee Relations — fairness, consistency, confidentiality, communication strategies, and conflict resolution.

12:00 pm – Wrap-up

Subject Matter Expert(s)/Instructor(s): 
Lou Bunch, Senior Municipal Human Resources Consultant

Lou Bunch joined NCLM in 2022 where she serves as a Senior Municipal Human Resources Consultant, providing guidance to North Carolina cities and towns on a wide range of personnel issues, with a focus on employment liability. Since 2013, Mrs. Bunch has been involved in human resources administration for state and local government, and in addition has over ten years of experience in personnel management in the private sector. Before joining the League, she most recently served as the Human Resources Director and Town Clerk for the Town of Nashville. Mrs. Bunch holds her Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Meredith College and holds her SHRM-Senior Certified Professional and PSHRA-Senior Certified Professional certifications and is also a Certified Municipal Clerk through IIMC and NCAMC. She is an active member of the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, North Carolina Public Sector Human Resources Association, and Society of Human Resources Management. In addition, Mrs. Bunch served as a Board Member and Past President of the Organization of Municipal Personnel Officers, and currently serves as the League’s liaison for their organization.