CPDM1 is the first of three modules in IEA’s Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM) certification. It covers how disability and absence management works in the United States: the federal laws that govern leave, the stakeholders in every claim, and the programs employers run. The course is 18 hours across 10 self-paced lessons and carries 17.75 SHRM and HRCI recertification credits.
Taking all three modules? The full CPDM certification is $1,480, which is $167 less than buying the three modules separately.
Average of verified CPDM1 student surveys
10 lessons, built around a full-time job
Approved for recertification
Start here. Modules are taken in order.
The CPDM certification is earned by completing three modules in order: Foundations (CPDM1), Applied Practice (CPDM2), then Advanced Compliance (CPDM3). There are no prerequisites to begin — CPDM1 is the starting point. Each module is 18 hours and carries 17.75 SHRM and HRCI credits, for 54 hours and 53.25 credits across the full certification.
How the industry works, who the players are, and the federal laws that govern leave.
Building and running an integrated absence and disability program day to day.
Complex cases, organizational risk, and leading the function.
All three modules complete. 54 hours, 53.25 SHRM and HRCI credits, $1,480.
| Format | Online and self-paced. Interactive reading, video, and assessments. |
|---|---|
| Length | 18 hours across 10 lessons |
| Typical pace | About six weeks at three hours a week |
| Access | 3 months from enrollment |
| Assessment | An assessment after every lesson, plus a final exam |
| Credits | 17.75 SHRM professional development credits and 17.75 HRCI recertification credits |
| Certificate | Certificate of completion, plus CPDM1 credit toward the CPDM certification |
| Prerequisites | None. CPDM1 is the first of the three CPDM modules and they are taken in order. |
| Price | $549 for CPDM1, or $1,480 for the full three-module CPDM certification |
HR professionals, leave and benefits administrators, claims managers, and occupational health and risk specialists. In practice, most CPDM1 students are people who were handed responsibility for leave without ever being trained in it.
CPDM1 gives you the legal map, so you stop guessing which framework applies to a request.
The module connects the claim work you already do to the wider program it sits inside.
Foundations is where the vocabulary, the stakeholder map, and the compliance framework come from.
Three things worth being clear about before you enroll.
Finishing it earns a certificate of completion and credit toward CPDM. The certification itself requires all three modules.
The curriculum covers federal law and multi-state programs. IEA’s California-specific offering in this area is the DMCS micro-credential.
CDMS is issued by CCMC and CLMS by DMEC. CPDM is IEA’s certification. Check which one your employer asks for.
“This course provided clear, structured information on IDAM principles and practices. It offers strong foundational knowledge and touches on key areas like strategic planning, stakeholder management and the benefits of IDAM programs. It would be valuable for learners, especially those new to the field.”
Ebony Hodge — CPDM Graduate
“The information was well organized and easy to understand. The interactive learning activities along the way were a great way to keep the reader engaged and remember the material as the course progressed.”
Bianca O — CPDM1 Graduate
“Beyond my expectations. It was exactly what we were looking for as we started our accommodation team. The insights I learned have already started to make a positive impact in my day-to-day work.”
Rita B. — CPDM Graduate
Ann Kuzee and Drew Barthel have been IEA’s principal subject-matter experts on the CPDM program for the past several years, and carried out its most recent revisions and updates.
JD, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CPDM, CHPSE
Vice President Legal, U.S. Absence and Disability Management at TELUS Health
MBA, CPDM
Principal – Global Benefits, Time Off & Accommodations at Nike
CPDM1 has no prerequisites and assumes no prior training in disability or absence management. It is the first of the three CPDM modules and the intended starting point.
Yes. CPDM is completed in sequence: CPDM1 Foundations, then CPDM2 Applied Practice, then CPDM3 Advanced Compliance. Each module builds on the one before it.
No. CPDM1 earns a certificate of completion and credit toward the certification. The Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM) certification is awarded after all three modules are complete.
Yes. The three modules bought individually cost $1,647. The full CPDM certification is $1,480, which is $167 less.
You have 3 months of access from the date you enroll. CPDM1 is about 18 hours of work, which most students spread over roughly six weeks at three hours a week.
Yes. CPDM1 is approved for 17.75 SHRM professional development credits and 17.75 HRCI recertification credits. Across all three modules the certification carries 53.25 credits.
No. CPDM is a national certification covering federal law and multi-state programs. IEA’s California-specific offering in leave and accommodation is the DMCS micro-credential.
They are separate credentials issued by separate organizations. CDMS comes from CCMC and CLMS from DMEC; CPDM is IEA’s certification. Employers vary in which they ask for, so check your organization’s requirement before enrolling.
Yes. IEA runs a free CPDM demo course so you can see the platform and a sample lesson before committing to CPDM1.
Enroll in Foundations for $549, or get all three modules as the full CPDM certification for $1,480 and save $167.
Not sure yet? Try a lesson free in the CPDM demo course, or read the CPDM certification overview. Working in California? The DMCS micro-credential covers FMLA, ADA, and CFRA hands-on.
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