Leave Of Absence Specialist

About the role

The Leave of Absence Specialist manages and supports all Leave of Absence (LOA) processes and employee lifecycle events for employees in the United States. This role serves as a primary point of contact for employees, managers, HR Business Partners, and external vendors, ensuring that leave programs are administered accurately, compliantly, and with a strong focus on customer care.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee and manager inquiries related to Leave of Absence programs, including medical, family, military, personal, and other statutory leaves.
• Manage leave cases from intake through closure, ensuring timely documentation, clear communication, accurate recordkeeping, and complete end-to-end case resolution.
• Provide guidance to employees and managers on leave eligibility, required documentation, job protections, pay implications, benefits impacts, and return-to-work processes.
• Partner with third-party leave administrators, payroll, benefits teams, HR Business Partners, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless and coordinated leave administration.
• Support employees throughout the leave process by delivering clear, empathetic, and professional communication at every stage.
• Research and resolve escalated or complex leave-related questions and issues, ensuring consistent and compliant outcomes.
• Maintain accurate employee records and perform data entry, audits, reporting, and case documentation within HR systems, case management tools, and leave administration platforms.
• Follow established service level agreements (SLAs) and performance metrics while delivering a high-quality customer experience.
• Monitor compliance with applicable federal, state, and local leave regulations, as well as internal policies, and escalate issues as appropriate.
• Analyze leave-related data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for continuous process improvement.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and actively participate in projects focused on standardization, simplification, automation, and operational excellence.
• Maintain current knowledge of leave legislation, company policies, HR procedures, and system capabilities to ensure accurate guidance and compliant administration.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism, ensuring appropriate data privacy and security.
• Collaborate closely with HR colleagues and external partners while embodying a culture of challenge, collaboration, and care in all interactions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in Human Resources, People Operations, Leave of Absence, Benefits Administration, or Employee Relations.
• At least 2 years of demonstrated experience administering leave programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, state leave programs, disability, and return-to-work processes.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience working with HR processes, policies, systems, and employee lifecycle events.
• Strong understanding of HR processes, policies, systems, and the full employee lifecycle.
• Experience working with HRIS platforms, case management systems, and leave administration tools.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with a high level of discretion.
• Experience providing employee and manager support in a customer-focused environment.
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures, legal requirements, and case documentation related to leave and employment matters.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and support continuous process improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of applicable employment laws and leave regulations, including federal, state, and local requirements, is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications for documentation, reporting, and communication.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex leave concepts clearly and professionally.
• Ability to embody and demonstrate principles of challenge, collaboration, and care in daily work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in Human Resources, People Operations, Leave of Absence, Benefits Administration, or Employee Relations.
• At least 2 years of demonstrated experience administering leave programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, state leave programs, disability, and return-to-work processes.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience working with HR processes, policies, systems, and employee lifecycle events.
• Strong understanding of HR processes, policies, systems, and the full employee lifecycle.
• Experience working with HRIS platforms, case management systems, and leave administration tools.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with a high level of discretion.
• Experience providing employee and manager support in a customer-focused environment.
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures, legal requirements, and case documentation related to leave and employment matters.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and support continuous process improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of applicable employment laws and leave regulations, including federal, state, and local requirements, is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications for documentation, reporting, and communication.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex leave concepts clearly and professionally.
• Ability to embody and demonstrate principles of challenge, collaboration, and care in daily work.

Skills

• Strong understanding of HR processes, policies, systems, and the full employee lifecycle.
• Experience working with HRIS platforms, case management systems, and leave administration tools.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with a high level of discretion.
• Experience providing employee and manager support in a customer-focused environment.
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures, legal requirements, and case documentation related to leave and employment matters.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and support continuous process improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of applicable employment laws and leave regulations, including federal, state, and local requirements, is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications for documentation, reporting, and communication.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex leave concepts clearly and professionally.
• Ability to embody and demonstrate principles of challenge, collaboration, and care in daily work.

Benefits

Not specified.

Pay

$28.00 - $34.00/hr.

Schedule

Not specified.