Absence and Accommodations Business Partner

Cox Automotive is currently seeking an Absence & Accommodations Business Partner to join our team. Candidates must reside within the Eastern or Central time zones of the United States. Atlanta, GA is the preferred location and operates under a hybrid work arrangement. Candidates located elsewhere within the Eastern or Central time zones will be considered for remote employment.

Please note:

We are hiring two individuals for this position.

The Absence & Accommodations team provides compliant, consistent, and employee-centered leave, accommodation, and workers' compensation support across Cox Automotive (CAI) and its subsidiaries throughout North America.

The Absence & Accommodations Business Partner partners with HR Business Partners, leaders, Legal, and cross-functional stakeholders to support the consistent and compliant administration of CAI's leave and accommodation programs. This role serves as a trusted resource for resolving complex absence and accommodation matters. The Business Partner provides guidance on policy interpretation and application, supports escalated case resolution, mitigates risk, and promotes compliance with applicable regulations and programs, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, FMCSA, and Workers' Compensation requirements across the U.S. and Canada.

The Business Partner also supports stakeholder education, reporting, process improvement, and training initiatives designed to enhance operational effectiveness, ensure a consistent employee experience, and strengthen compliance across absence and accommodation programs.

• Act as a liaison to Legal and Risk Management to identify risks, develop mitigation strategies for complex leave and accommodation matters, and document audit-ready decisions and supporting rationale.

• Partner with HR Business Partners and business leaders on Absence & Accommodations policy interpretation, complex scenarios, and manager coaching; ensure timely, accurate guidance and clear next steps.

• Promote and support the consistent application of Absence & Accommodations policies, practices, and standards through consultation, education, and compliance support.

• Serve as an employee advocate for sensitive and complex absences and accommodation requests.

• Participate in Governance Committee reviews of complex absence and accommodation matters and support implementation of approved outcomes.

• Create and deliver Absence & Accommodations updates, policy changes, and compliance guidance to multiple audiences, including leaders, HR, shared services, and Centers of Excellence (COEs); develop playbooks, job aids, and FAQs.

• Act as a champion for compliance by interpreting company policies and processes, promoting consistent application and alignment with company priorities, and educating employees and stakeholders as needed.

• Serve as a project consultant on cross-functional teams, providing subject matter expertise and recommendations to support compliant program administration.

• Support the development and maintenance of Absence & Accommodations knowledge base content.

• Identify and communicate trends and themes arising from stakeholder consultations, risk assessments, operational analyses, and employee interactions; share insights with leadership to support enhancements to the employee and manager experience.

• Review quality, compliance, and operational trends across assigned regions and partner with stakeholders to address identified risks and opportunities.

• Ensure adherence to federal and state leave laws (e.g., FMLA, ADA), company policies, and internal service standards to mitigate risk.

• Partner with the COE, Employee Relations, and Legal teams on escalated or sensitive matters requiring additional review and resolution.

• Administer program-related surveys to designated Solutions Group contacts; collect, analyze, and interpret data to assess program health and identify opportunities for improvement.

• Support cross-functional initiatives aimed at improving process efficiency, communication, and employee experience.

• Support the implementation of approved policy updates, documentation enhancements, and workflow improvements.

• Collaborate with cross-functional operations teams and vendor partners to resolve issues and promote consistent employee experience across functional areas.

• Assist in the implementation and adoption of new systems, tools, and AI-enabled enhancements designed to improve…