Sr. Lead Advisor, Leave, Accommodations & HR Field Support

Overview

The Sr. Lead Advisor is a key member of the Leave, Accommodation, & HR Field Support team within Talent Operations & Planning. The Sr. Lead Advisor oversees compliance with Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), federal and state leave laws, company leave programs, return-to-work processes, and workplace accommodations. This role also provides comprehensive talent support and consultation, leads employee relations investigations, and offers expert resolution guidance on complex employee matters for Chick-fil-A, Inc. and it's wholly owned subsidiaries, including In-Field Staff (IFS), Field Talent Staff (FTS), and Chick-fil-A Operated Restaurant (COR) Team Member audiences.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with leadership to shape and execute a strategy for consulting to talent matters, conducting employee investigations, and administering medical leaves and workplace accommodations for the IFS, FTS, and COR audiences.

Serve as a trusted advisor to IFS, FTS, and COR Team Members seeking a leave of absence or medical accommodation. Act as the SME on disability and leave offerings, including FMLA, ADA, Worker's Compensation, and various state, local, and company-paid leave programs. Ensure consistent application and compliance with policies across the business, providing expert guidance and oversight.

Investigate and resolve employee relations matters, ensuring fair application of company policies and standards through thorough and impartial investigations. Facilitate conflict resolution and mediation efforts, promoting a positive and productive restaurant environment.

Maintain precise, well-organized documentation of employee relations investigations, capturing detailed interview summaries, key findings, and supporting evidence, while delivering clear, concise conclusions and actionable recommendations for next steps.

Provide strategic HR consulting to address broad field talent matters, ensuring alignment with field leadership supporting business objectives and promoting Chick-fil-A's culture.

Demonstrate sound judgment and discretion while managing high-sensitivity cases—including those requiring urgent attention outside of normal business hours—to ensure timely and effective resolution. This may require working with varied schedules and securing time on evenings and weekends.

Collaborate closely with the leave and payroll teams to guarantee accurate payroll processing and meticulous leave tracking. Ensure all actions comply with state and federal leave laws, working in alignment with internal policies and external regulations.

Oversee and direct talent matter communications, ensuring employees are fully informed of their rights and processes. Maintain the utmost confidentiality and integrity of interactions and information.

Facilitate the processing and secure maintenance of all talent records related to leaves of absence, medical accommodations, and employee investigations.

Partner with Legal and other key business partners to address complex employee matters, ensuring all actions are compliant with applicable laws and regulations. Provide strategic input and expert advice on risk mitigation.

Exercise discernment in engaging relevant stakeholders, such as Talent, Legal, field partners, and leadership, based on specific circumstances and confidentiality requirements of each case. Ensure all parties are aligned and informed throughout the process.

Proactive assessment of trends in employee relations matters with recommendations to senior leaders on solutions that will continue to protect the health, engagement, and productivity of our Staff. 

Consult, coach, and educate employees and leaders on policies and guidelines, enabling decision making processes that foster a fair and equitable work environment.

Lead special projects as needed: for example, select and/or design an employee relations case management system to store case information and other supporting data. Maintain relevant records to capture history and ensure consistent application of outcomes in future scenarios.

Minimum Qualifications

- Familiarity or exposure to workplace investigations

- Familiarity or exposure to workplace investigation documentation

- 4 years of professional work experience 

Preferred Qualifications

-Previous experience with FMLA, ADA, or Benefits administration.

-Previous experiencing consulting to talent matters and employee relations challenges and leading workplace investigations.

-Previous experience thoroughly documenting employee relations investigations, including interview notes and investigation summaries and outcomes.

-Experience with HR Acuity or similar system

Minimum Years of Experience

Travel Requirements

Required Level of Education

Preferred Level of Education