Leaves, Accommodations & Benefits Specialist

The role:

The Leaves of Absences (LOA), Accommodations & Benefits Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the leave of absence, accommodations and benefits functions. This position will oversee and administer leave requests and accommodations, including those arising under the Family and Medical leave Act (FMLA), the American Disabilities Act (ADA), state and local leave and disability laws, and short-term or long-term disability plans. You will be engaged in all facets of the employee life cycle relating to reasonable accommodations of impairments or disabilities that affect an applicant or employee's ability to complete the required functions of their role. Additionally, you will support the administration of our benefits programs with the broader Benefits Team as needed. This position requires a strong understanding of relevant employment laws, company policies, and a compassionate approach to supporting employees during challenging situations.

What you'll do:

• Leave Management

• Administer and manage all aspects of employee leave programs, including but not limited to Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state-specific leave laws, personal leaves, and other applicable leave policies in partnership with the company's third party leave administrator.

• Drive timely notification, documentation, eligibility review, benefit coordination and payroll adjustments.

• Research and resolve Leave of Absence (LOA) claim issues to ensure a positive employee experience while maintaining confidentiality.

• Educate employees on leave options, eligibility criteria, and the necessary

documentation required to initiate and maintain leaves of absence.

• Coordinate with People Team and managers to manage leave time accurately and ensure appropriate benefits continuation during absences.

• Maintain, audit and oversee benefit deductions and other payroll related tasks impacted by a leave of absence; work in partnership with the Payroll team.

Facilitate and maintain relationships with third party vendors; provide on-going feedback, guidance and status updates to our internal and external stakeholders. Enter and audit leave and accommodation data in HRIS System/Workday. Establish and maintain internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance; partner with Legal and People Team to ensure the Employee Handbook and other employee communications are updated and in compliance.

• Collaborate with the broader Benefits team to review processes, documents, tools, vendor performance and workflows to ensure data quality, process efficiency and compliance with program and regulatory requirements.

• Ensure that development and implementation of benefits programs, policies and practices comply with ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, HIPAA, ACA, ADA, Paid Family Leave and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

• Accommodations Administration

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employees seeking workplace accommodations due to disabilities, medical conditions, or religious beliefs and engage with employees in the interactive process.

• Collaborate with employees, People Team, managers, healthcare professionals and company's third party administrator to evaluate accommodation requests, assess job-related limitations, and explore potential accommodations.

• Conduct interactive discussions with employees, managers and third party leaves administrator to gather information, identify appropriate accommodations, and facilitate the interactive process in accordance with the ADA guidelines.

Research and evaluate potential accommodations, including assistive devices, workplace modifications, flexible work arrangements, and reassignment options. Coordinate and oversee the implementation of approved accommodations, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and workplace policies.

• Compliance and Documentation

• Stay up to date with federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations, and guidelines related to leaves of absence and accommodations.

• Ensure proper documentation, recordkeeping, and confidentiality of all leave and accommodation-related information, adhering to data privacy regulations and company privacy policies..

• Maintain accurate and organized records of leave requests, accommodations provided, communications, and any other relevant documentation.

• Generate reports and metrics related to leaves of absence, accommodations, and related trends as needed.

• Employee Support and Communication

• Act as a resource and provide guidance to employees regarding leave policies, accommodation processes, and their rights and responsibilities.

• Facilitate effective communication between employees, managers, People Team, and other stakeholders throughout the leave and accommodation processes.

• Provide timely updates, notifications, and follow-ups to employees regarding the status of their leave requests or accommodation discussions.

• Conduct training sessions or workshops for employees, managers, and People Team personnel on leave policies, accommodations, and related topics.

• Collaborate with Benefits Team, People Team and other departments to develop and update policies, procedures, and guidelines related to leaves of absence and

accommodations.

• Benefits Administration

• Write and develop employee benefit communications, including daily Slack channel messages, targeted communications, open enrollment information, benefit guides, help line responses, etc.,

Assist with monthly review of benefit plan reconciliation and billing process. Supports administration of all benefits programs with broader Benefits Team, as needed

What you'll need:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).
• In-depth knowledge of federal, state and local leave laws such as FMLA and ADA.
• Familiarity with disability management and reasonable accommodation practices with a minimum of 2 years relevant experience.
• Experience with administration of leave and accommodation benefit programs in multiple states.
• Strong understanding of HR policies, practices, and employment law compliance.
• The ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Knowledge of best practices and processing requirements relating to leave management.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with employees, managers, and external partners.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities to assess and evaluate accommodation requests.
• High attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Proficiency in HR information systems, leave management software, or other relevant tools.
• Sensitivity, empathy, and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information.

Nice to have:

• DMEC leaves certification or other leaves certification.
• Experience with administration of leave and accommodation benefit programs internationally

• Experience with Workday and ADP, preferred.