How a Small Government Office Saved 3–5 Hours a Week by Centralizing Leave Management
To manage growing leave demands more efficiently, the Wayne Township Trustee Office partnered with isolved to save time, stay compliant and support employees.
Leave management isn’t just a big company issue. For small teams, it can be just as challenging and just as important to get right, especially when it’s being handled by a lean HR team.
That was the challenge facing the Wayne Township Trustee Office in Allen County, Indiana. As a small local government agency providing financial assistance for rent, utilities and other basic needs, the office supports its community with a team of just over 30 employees.
Balancing community needs with limited staff made internal operations increasingly difficult to maintain, especially for a two-person HR team.
Managing Leave Without the Right Tools
When Sylvester Thomas joined Wayne Township as the human resources (HR) lead, he brought experience managing HR for organizations with 500 to 1,500 employees. With only 34 staff members, he expected a simpler workload. Instead, he quickly realized the complexity of the role, specifically around tracking and supporting employee leave.
“When I came on board, managing leave was one of the more challenging parts of the role,” said Thomas.
Although the office wasn’t legally required to comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), leadership chose to offer leave protections to support employee well-being. The federal law only applies to employers with 50 or more employees, and Indiana has no state-specific mandates. Before Thomas joined the team, leave was tracked manually by staff stepping in to help, which made it more difficult to manage documentation and communication.
It was clear they needed a system that could support their commitment to employees and simplify leave administration.
Building Better Leave Management Processes
Faced with growing complexity and limited resources, Thomas knew hiring another employee or creating a process from scratch wasn’t the answer. Instead, he began exploring third-party solutions and was introduced to isolved Leave Management through the office’s insurance broker.
"I'd never heard of isolved until they recommended it. We had a few calls, and I fell in love with your agency from the get-go. I have nothing but good things to say from start to finish."
— Sylvester Thomas, HR Lead at Wayne Township Trustee Office
At the time, isolved was preparing to launch its Leave Management offering, and Wayne Township became one of the first organizations to implement it. Thomas worked closely with the onboarding team—often troubleshooting after hours due to time zone differences—and provided early feedback on the solution. What’s more, at the time of implementation in 2023, isolved was only typically working with employers who met the 50-employee FMLA threshold, but they agreed to support the office’s needs.
“What really earned my utmost respect was that isolved stuck with our contract, even when they could have said you don’t meet the limit or threshold,” said Thomas. “But for them to say, ‘We’re still going to honor it,’ meant a lot to me.”
“Peace of Mind” with isolved Leave Management
Following implementation, the office saw immediate improvements. Thomas estimates he now saves three to five hours each week by eliminating manual tasks like drafting letters and internally tracking leave. Reports that once took days—often involving time-consuming document searches—can now be generated in minutes, thanks to a more streamlined approach.
The change made an impact quickly. Not long after launch, Thomas shared that the office encountered a complex leave case that required careful coordination. With isolved’s support, every step was clearly outlined, documentation was completed on time and the case was resolved smoothly—reinforcing the value of having a reliable system in place.
The benefits extend to the employee experience as well. Employees now receive direct support through isolved’s 1-800 number, with the correct leave types, including intermittent leave, selected and tracked properly. Fewer requests are routed through Thomas, reducing confusion and ensuring every case is handled efficiently.
“I wouldn’t say I couldn’t have done it myself, but having isolved gives me confidence,” said Thomas. “It’s that second set of eyes. They have a checklist of what should be in the folder for each individual. I don’t have to act like an expert, because they are. They’re the experts. If I had to sum it up in three words, it’s peace of mind.”
Looking Ahead
By partnering with isolved to enhance their leave process—even without a legal requirement—the Wayne Township Trustee Office reduced administrative workload, improved visibility, and continued to prioritize employee well-being with greater confidence.
These improvements laid the groundwork for long-term goals, including reducing turnover, minimizing risks related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or pregnancy-related leave, and scaling HR operations to support future demands.
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