Leave of Absence Specialist

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions

• Support Van Meter’s People P culture by showing care for employee-owners, and contributing to a positive, respectful, and service-oriented employee-owner experience during leave of absences.
• Manage and administer multi-state leave of absence programs, including FMLA, short- and long-term disability, parental, military, personal, and workers’ compensation leaves, along with leave-related benefits and applicable leave laws.
• Serve as the primary contact for employee-owners, providing compassionate guidance and ensuring they understand leave of absence benefits, eligibility, leave options, and return-to-work expectations; facilitate the ADA interactive process for workplace accommodations by coordinating with employee-owners, leaders, medical providers, and legal counsel when necessary.
• Partner closely with Payroll, HR Business Partners, Benefits Specialist, and external workers’ compensation administrators to ensure accurate time tracking, leave pay coordination, benefit continuity, leave status updates, employee-owner support, return-to-work processes, and state leave administration.
• Maintain confidential and accurate leave records, documentation, and status updates in applicable HRIS, payroll, benefits, vendor, and leave administration systems to support timely reporting, compliance, and employee-owner service.

Requirements

• Critical Success Factors: Expertise in leave of absence programs, leave-related benefits, applicable leave laws, workplace accommodations, and workers’ compensation; detail oriented and analytical skills; excellent interpersonal and communication skills; strong computer skills including Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, HRIS, payroll, benefits, vendor, and leave administration systems; experience supporting ADA accommodation requests and the interactive process; experience managing confidential employee, medical, leave, accommodation, or workers’ compensation documentation; experience working with third-party leave, disability, benefits, payroll, or workers’ compensation administrators.

Job Requirements/Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field required; equivalent leave administration experience may be considered.
• Minimum of two years of leave of absence, accommodation, and workers’ compensation experience required. Multi-state leave, accommodation, and workers’ compensation administration experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local leave laws and related employment regulations required, including FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, USERRA, and applicable paid family and medical leave requirements.
• Demonstrated case management, follow-up, prioritization, and process improvement ability required.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Consistent sitting, reaching, working with hands and fingers, talking, hearing, field of vision, working indoors with others and customer contact.
• Frequent standing and walking.
• Some lifting, carrying, pushing, bending and twisting, kneeling, and working alone.