Advocacy Coordination Team Specialist

About the role

Joining Sedgwick means becoming part of a community dedicated to supporting people through unexpected challenges. Our 33,000 colleagues strive to make a positive impact every day, offering a supportive work environment and a commitment to work-life balance.

PRIMARY PURPOSE

Actively researches, resolves, and administers escalated inquiries for all lines of business, including but not limited to Family Medical Leave (FMLA), complex paid and unpaid state, military, and company-specific leaves, accommodations, disability, and statutory claims.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Makes independent claim determinations, based on the information received, to approve complex claims or make a recommendation to team lead to deny claims based on the requirements.
• Analyzes and authorizes leave, accommodation, disability, and statutory claims and determines benefits due pursuant to client plans, and state and federal regulations.
• Enters and adjusts payments and evaluates file interface to support payment research and resolution.
• Communicates clearly and professionally with claimant and client on all aspects of the claims process including claim approval, decision authority level to move the call forward, and issue resolution by phone, written correspondence and/or claims system.
• Facilitates claim resolution and handles escalated calls with claimant, human resources managers, treating physician’s office, client, or others with a goal of one-call resolution.
• Safeguards claims files by ensuring they are coded correctly and adequate documentation is present for claim processing.
• Determines benefits due, makes timely and accurate claims payments/approvals and adjustments for workers compensation, Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), and other disability offsets.
• Maintains professional client relationships and adheres to client specific requirements such as service level expectations, regulatory requirements, and reporting.
• Maintains the organization’s quality program(s) minimum requirements.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university preferred.
• Three (3) years of related experience or equivalent combination of experience and education required to include two (2) years of disability claims experience.
• Experience with SMART, SIR, GAIN, or other HR systems preferred.
• Experience with TAMS, Juris, viaOne express, and mySedgwick preferred for internal candidates.

Skills & Knowledge

• Knowledge of ERISA regulations, state and federal FMLA, ADAAA, Social Security application procedures, required offsets and deductions, and disability procedures.
• Working knowledge of medical terminology and duration management.
• Proficient computer skills including working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Exemplary call handling and de-escalation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, oral and written.
• Analytical, interpretive, and critical thinking skills.
• Effective decision-making.
• Ability to manage ambiguity.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
• Ability to exercise judgement autonomously within established procedures.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to meet or exceed performance competencies as required by program.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Mental: Clear and conceptual thinking ability; excellent judgment, troubleshooting, problem solving, analysis, and discretion; ability to handle work-related stress; ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously; and ability to meet deadlines.
• Physical: Ability to sit at a desk for extended periods while operating a computer and phone system.
• Auditory/Visual: Hearing, vision and talking.