Senior Associate, Leave and Accommodations

About the role

The Senior Leave Associate manages leave of absence and workplace accommodation cases from intake through return to work. This role supports employees, managers, and internal partners by explaining requirements, coordinating documentation, and keeping cases moving accurately and on time. The position helps ensure compliance with applicable laws and company policies while delivering a consistent employee experience.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Leave Case Management: Manage the full lifecycle of leave of absence and accommodation cases from intake through return to work, ensuring timely handling, accurate tracking, and coordination with key partners.
• Decision-Making & Compliance: Partner with the third-party leave vendor to review requests and apply company policy and legal requirements to support compliant decisions.
• Employee & Manager Support: Serve as the main point of contact for employees and managers by providing clear guidance, regular updates, and return-to-work support throughout the leave process.
• Subject Matter Expertise & Escalation Handling: Act as a subject matter expert on leave and accommodation programs, handling complex cases and consulting with Legal or HR leadership when needed.
• Process Improvement & Reporting: Identify process improvements, maintain and analyze leave data, and share reports and recommendations to support better decisions and ongoing program enhancements.
• Risk Management & Integrity: Review suspected leave misuse or fraud, document findings, and escalate concerns to support the integrity of leave programs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Payroll, Legal, HR, HR Operations, and AskHR to support leave-related work, update guidance, and provide accurate answers to employee and manager questions.
• Vendor Management: Monitor third-party administrator performance, resolve case issues, track trends, and escalate concerns to help ensure accurate and timely service.
• Continuous Learning: Stay current on leave laws, best practices, and industry trends through ongoing learning and professional development.
• AI Usage: Use AI tools responsibly to summarize case information, organize documentation, and identify workflow patterns while protecting confidential employee data and applying human judgment to all decisions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred, or equivalent work experience.
• 3-5 years of progressive experience in leave administration, benefits, or a related HR area, with extensive experience managing FMLA and ADA/ADAAA cases independently.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local leave laws and regulations.
• Experience interpreting documentation and applying policies to determine next steps in case handling.
• Experience using HR systems, case management systems, or workflow tools such as Workday, ADP, or similar platforms.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and prepare clear reports or summaries.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex information clearly.
• Strong organization and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple cases and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, collaborate across teams, and maintain confidentiality and sound judgment.

Qualifications

• Experience with HRIS systems and leave management software.
• Understanding of employment law and company policies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Experience with HRIS systems and leave management software.
• Understanding of employment law and company policies.

Benefits

At athenahealth, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Health insurance
• Retirement savings plans
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life and disability insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Wellness programs
• Volunteer time off
• Flexible spending accounts
• Flexible work arrangements
• Generous paid time off
• Annual discretionary bonuses
• Equity plans

Pay

$79,000 - $135,000

Schedule

Full-time, remote or office-based, with flexible work arrangements.