Leave of Absence Specialist

Overview

Become part of an inclusive organization with over 40,000 teammates, whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of the unique communities we serve.

The Leave of Absence Specialist is responsible for administering and managing all leave programs, including FMLA, short-term disability, long-term disability, parental leave, and other statutory and company-specific leaves. This role ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, provides exceptional teammate support, and partners with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a seamless leave experience. This is a high-volume, service-oriented role supporting the HR Customer Service Center, requiring the ability to manage multiple leave cases concurrently while meeting service-level expectations.

The ideal candidate will have prior Human Resources experience, preferably in a shared services, call-center, or case-management environment, and be comfortable handling frequent teammate inquiries with accuracy, empathy, and efficiency.

• Leave Administration: Administer and manage leave of absence programs in compliance with applicable laws and company policies. Process leave requests, track eligibility, and maintain accurate documentation. Coordinate with third-party administrators and insurance providers to ensure timely and accurate handling of claims.
• Initial Point of Contact: Act as the initial point of contact for Leave of Absence inquiries and provide in-depth information and services across the various stages of the Leave of Absence process. First level for immediate support for callers in the Leave of Absence Phone queue, ensuring minimal wait times and efficient call resolution. Provide clear communication and guidance throughout the leave process, ensuring a positive teammate experience.
• Service Now Case Management: Respond to leave inquiries from teammates and leaders on leave eligibility, benefit plan eligibility, timesheets, and other general leave inquiries. Research and resolve operational leave cases promptly to support teammates.
• Collaboration and Communication: Collaborate closely with HR team members to resolve leave inquiries and provide comprehensive solutions to teammates. Provide guidance to HR Service Delivery Advisors and Benefit Specialists on leave processes and compliance requirements. Share best practices and offer feedback to improve team effectiveness.
• Data Management and Reporting: Prepare and work leave reports to ensure timely resolution of outstanding items and maintain data accuracy. Generate reports and review leave data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Exceptional Customer Service: Deliver professional, reliable, and exceptional teammate support to all inquiries, exhibiting a customer-centric approach and ensuring high satisfaction levels. Address inquiries promptly and effectively, demonstrating active listening and empathy.
• Process Improvement Evaluation: Identify areas for process improvement within leave administration. Collaborate with peers and management to implement changes that enhance efficiency and teammate experience.
• Project Management: Actively participates in projects designed to increase efficiency and promote teammate experience.
• Training Material Development: Develop training modules, SOPs, guides, and reference materials that cover Leave processes, policies, and customer service techniques.
• Open Enrollment: Assist and support Open Enrollment annually.
• Confidentiality and Data Security: Handle sensitive teammate information with the utmost confidentiality and adhere to data security protocols. Ensure compliance with data protection regulations and company policies.

• Education Requirements: Bachelor s degree or equivalency as outlined under experience.
• Licensure/Certification Requirements: None required.
• Professional Experience Requirements: If a Bachelor s degree:
  No prior experience required. If an Associate s degree: two (2) years of relevant experience. If a High School diploma or GED:
  Six (6) years of relevant experience.
• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Excellent organizational skills, strong attention to…