"...We deliver better experiences for your employees too. In every interaction with us, they’ll find support, empathy and clear communication on the status of their claim and what happens next in the process.
With Sedgwick expertly managing any and every absence, you can get back to your core business, and your employees can take the time off work they need without any added stress...."
The only positive to having a 3rd party claims administrator - not saying Sedgwick is a good one - is the fact that their decisions on non-discretionary leaves are final and binding for the company.
I don’t believe for one second that if Verizon received and decided on all FMLA and disability reviews internally, it would be done without overreaching questions and commentary. I hear about too many managers running a team like it’s a separate company. Might as well call teams “fiefdoms”.
Medical accommodations, however, are discretionary. Verizon uses Sedgwick to interface with your doctor, but Sedgwick doesn’t actually make the determination. I was surprised to hear this was a separate process, essentially rendering Section II, Question 10 of the leave form, moot:
“Is the patient unable to perform his/her essential job functions due to the condition? If yes, identify the job functions the employee is unable to perform.”
For all medical accommodations (including those involving leave) are handled on a separate Sedgwick form. The sole benefit I see with this process is once you fill out Verizon’s form, they interface with Sedgwick who faxes your doctor directly. No crazy deadlines. That’s only when the employee is the messenger -_-
To be honest, I thought they added stress by constantly holding up my pay.
They kicked me when I was down to my lowest point, if truth be told.
IMO, I think they're pure evil masquerading as a service.