Leave & ADA Program Administrator

We are seeking an experienced
Leave & ADA Program Administrator
who is responsible for processing and supporting leave of absences, and ADA workplace accommodations for represented and non-represented employees. At Bellevue, you will provide exceptional customer service and assistance to all stakeholders and effectively help people navigate leave of absence and accommodation requests. This will include general administration, comprehensive case management, and program compliance in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), other related employment laws, collective bargaining agreements and the City’s policies and procedures.

The position will also be integral in processing HR transactions and ensuring the integrity of employee information in the City’s systems.

In the HR Department, you’ll be a part of an engaged, enthusiastic team, dedicated to providing exceptional services to the city’s managers and employees, and to job seekers and external partners. Bellevue employees embrace the values of innovation, integrity, stewardship, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and take pride in the work they do. The City Council’s vision is that Bellevue welcomes the world, our diversity is our strength, we embrace the future while respecting our past.

• Serves as the point of contact and subject matter expert for qualified continuous or intermittent leaves of absence and reasonable accommodation requests. Partner with assistant city attorney on complex or high-risk cases. Lead or contribute to continuous process improvement initiatives in HR operations related to accommodations and leave management.
• Handles the leave process from employees’ initial notice of the need for leave to the employees’ return to work. This includes gathering and completing all required paperwork, determining leave eligibility, designating, or denying leaves as appropriate, requesting medical certification as needed, recertifying leaves, managing independent medical evaluation processes when needed, tracking and accounting for leave time used, including intermittent or reduced schedule leave use and performing audits as needed to ensure accuracy.
• Manages ADA workplace accommodation requests by understanding job analysis to assess the essential functions, conduct meetings for the interactive process, assess accommodation needs and department ability to reasonably provide accommodation, managing documentation, tracking accommodation status and providing guidance to employees and decision recommendations to departments. Manage and communicate the legal/technical aspects of the process in an empathetic, neutral, and clear manner.
• Delivers excellent customer service and ensures employees are aware of their own responsibilities and of any documentation and notice requirements to qualify for and to take leave. Provides guidance and advice to managers on the process and best practices.
• Maintains reasonable communication with employees on leave to facilitate smooth and timely return to work; keeps managers up to date about employee leaves, changes, and work restrictions.
• Preserves confidentiality of employee medical documentation and files.
• Maintains complete and accurate records; ensures all leave and accommodation requests (including intermittent and reduced schedule leaves) are processed accurately and timely, notifying employees of expirations and need for recertification.
• Collaborates with city-wide departmental leadership, HR Consultants, Benefits, Payroll, Risk/Workers’ Compensation, HRIS and Legal on leave and ADA accommodations, independent medical evaluations, performance issues, and other matters. Hold monthly meetings with department leadership experiencing high utilization and HR consultants to ensure smooth facilitation.
• Monitors continuation of group health plan benefits during leave based on the City’s policies and procedures/collective bargaining agreements; collaborates with benefits administrator on eligibility criteria changes.
• Documents internal workflow processes; researches,…