Leave and Benefits Specialist

Leave and Benefits Specialist

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, HR, or a related field.
• 2+ years of benefits and leave management experience.
• Experience managing leave cases and/or workers’ comp claims.
• In depth knowledge of federal and state leave laws, including FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to multitask and balance multiple forms of communication.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and provide excellent customer service.

Responsibilities

• Manage all leave of absence requests, including FMLA, state and federal leaves, medical leaves, Workers’ Compensation, STD/LTD and company-specific policies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and other internal departments regarding leave policies.
• Analyze and interpret federal, state, and local leave laws to ensure compliance, including FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA.
• Provide comprehensive case management for leave of absence and ADA, guiding employees and managers through pre-leave, during-leave, and post-leave phases with exceptional support.
• Facilitate the interactive process with employees who request reasonable accommodations under ADA, engaging in collaborative dialogue to identify effective solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement of leave management and ADA accommodation processes through ongoing collaboration with key stakeholders, proactively identifying and implementing enhancements.
• Provide guidance on complex leave scenarios and escalate as needed to ensure timely and effective resolutions.
• Develop communication materials and job aids related to leave of absence and ADA.
• Assist in creating and facilitating training programs related to leave administration and procedures.
• Generate reports on leave trends, compliance, and potential risks.
• Maintain data integrity related to leave policies.
• Maintain accurate records of leave requests, approvals, denials, certifications, and correspondence.
• Collaborate with HR, payroll, and department managers to coordinate leave schedules.
• Track employee leave balances, durations, and utilization rates.
• Calculate biweekly leave payment calculations with accuracy.
• Assist with special benefits projects as required.
• Assist with the daily administration of retirement, health, and welfare employee benefit programs, as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• CLMS certification and experience with in-house leave/ADA preferred.