Return-to- Advisor

Position: Return-to-Work Advisor
** Innovate Remotely*
* This position is fully remote, allowing you to enjoy the flexibility of working from home while collaborating with skilled team members and contributing to groundbreaking solutions.

** Your Impact*
* The Return-to-Work Advisor provides high-level advocacy, coordination, and consultative support for associates navigating work-related injuries. Using extensive knowledge of the workers' compensation (WC), ADA, FMLA, disability programs, and Lowe's operations, this role ensures injured associates receive clear guidance, timely support, and equitable return-to-work (RTW) opportunities. The RTW Advisor manages escalated cases, facilitates temporary transitional duty placement, resolves complex benefit matters, and supports field leadership in navigating WC-related compliance issues.

This role requires independent decision-making, strong communication skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across Sedgwick, HR, medical case management, store leadership, and internal partners.

** What You Will Do*
* + Serve as the primary contact for escalated or complex associate issues requiring WC, ADA, FMLA or disability guidance.

+ Provide immediate advocacy to newly out-of-work associates, identifying obstacles, and partnering with Sedgwick to resolve.

+ Conduct WFA critical transition reviews at required intervals (60/90, 120, 240-day triggers).

+ Deliver clear and empathetic communication throughout the claim lifecycle to reduce anxiety and encourage engagement.

+ Manage alternative RTW referrals, placements, and Workday coding to reduce leakage.

+ Intervene in RTW non-compliance cases, declined placements, or temporary duty terminations.

+ Prepare temporary transitional duty letters and bona fide job offers for escalated matters.

+ Partner with store operations, HR business partners, and nurse case managers to develop sustainable RTW plans.

+ Coordinate RTW for out-of-state associates to ensure policy compliance and continuity.

+ Collaborate with Sedgwick nurse case managers to resolve workflow issues and prevent treatment delays.

+ Identify and escalate red flags, delays, or potential litigation risks.

+ Respond to state WC agency inquiries and resolve escalated associate concerns.

+ Resolve disputes related to medical treatment, scheduling, or service delivery.

+ Provide guidance on WC, ADA, FMLA, and disability overlaps.

+ Advise store leadership on temporary duty compliance.

+ Consult on complex issues affecting RTW placements.

+ Resolve no-pay escalations from nonprofit placement partners.

+ Maintain dashboards tracking escalations, RTW compliance, temporary duty utilization, and cost impacts.

+ Review ODG and NJWR compliance to identify workflow gaps.

+ Provide insights to support continuous process refinement and program improvement.

+ Monitor vendor performance and escalate service delivery issues as required.

** Minimum Qualifications*
* + Bachelor's degree in business, HR, risk management or related field or equivalent years of experience in lieu of education requirement, if applicable

+ 5 years of general experience with at least 3 years in workers' compensation, RTW programs, disability/leave administration, or HR compliance

+ Experience managing complex multi-state WC or RTW cases

+ Strong communication, documentation, and case-coordination skills

** Preferred Skills/Education*
* +

Experience with ODG guidelines, Workday, and Sedgwick systems

+ Experience supporting a high-volume, multi-location organization

+ CDMS - Certified Disability Management Specialist or coursework/certification in workers' compensation or ADA compliance

Pay Range: $74,600.00 - $ annually

_Starting rate of pay may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, position offered, location, education,…