Leave Specialist

Overview

Bellevue HQ - Bellevue, WA 98006

Salary Range: $40.35 - $58.52 Hourly

Position Type:
Full Time

The Benefits & Leave Specialist role is responsible for directly impacting the Life Center Northwest (Life Center) employee experience and compliance through benefits and leaves programs. This position will partner closely with Payroll, People Resources (PR), organizational leaders, and third-party vendors to administer benefits and leave programs, provide employee education, and support employees with benefit utilization.

• Partner closely with PR team to create, deliver and innovate process improvements, policies, procedures, and various initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with all levels of staff.
• Develops, maintains, and continuously improves Life Center benefit and leave programs, including tools, templates, and leader resources to support consistent application and ease of use across the organization.
• Partners with PR team member(s) and provides guidance on benefits administration processes.
• In partnership with team leadership and health insurance broker, shepherds the annual benefits renewal process.
• Leads the end-to-end Open Enrollment process annually including building and/or modifying benefit plan set up in the HRIS, communications, meeting facilitation, etc.
• Conducts benefits surveys and provides recommendations to leadership.
• Develops benefits information materials and partners with internal communications team to provide benefits communications to employees. Responds to employee benefit questions with established service level agreements.
• Monitors dependent age reviews and ensures follow up completed appropriately.
• Partners with team member to ensure appropriate employee benefit terminations, including COBRA notifications are completed.
• Monitors benefits plans and administration for compliance with applicable laws.
• Manages 403(b) program administration and employee education, including serving as a member of the 403(b) Internal Management Committee.
• Performs audits of payroll deductions and benefits data for accuracy.
• Partners with broker and internal teams to manage benefit plans and resolve issues.
• Monitors ACA reporting within HRIS and ensures ACA checklist completed for annual 1095 completion.
• Partners with the PR team for management of FMLA and State leave programs.
• Engages interactive process in accordance with the ADA.
• Administers end-to-end leave processes, including eligibility determination, documentation, communication, and return to work coordination.
• Advises managers and employees on leave laws and interaction with PTO, disability, and workers’ compensation.
• Oversees the return-to-work process for employees returning from extended leave.
• Facilitates other leave requests, which may include accommodation requests under the ADA.
• Administers other company time-off programs as assigned in accordance with internal policy and applicable laws.
• Oversees tracking and reporting of leave usage, monitoring for trends and flagging leaves that may have more organizational impact than others.
• Serves as subject matter expert and provides guidance on all aspects of multi-state and federal leave mandates as well as company leave policies and benefits.
• Drafts and/or recommends revisions to company leave policies to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Coordinates with Payroll to ensure use of paid time benefits and leave codes is reflective of the actual leave schedule and collaborate on the true‑up and reconciliation process when the employee returns to work.
• Assists employees with Short Term Disability and Long-Term Disability questions and claims.
• Partners with PR team on Wellness Program administration, challenge and content creation, guest speakers, etc.
• Partners with PR team on leave and benefit needs for employees on Worker’s Compensation.
• Maintains complete and accurate records of leave and accommodation requests in accordance with specified legal requirements and documentation of best practices.
• Provides PR leadership with reporting on leave usage, impacts to retention, staffing, or other considerations.
• Maintains confidentiality of medical…