Leave of Absence Specialist

Job Description:

• Own day-to-day leave case administration from intake through closure, including eligibility review, documentation follow-up, status tracking, extensions, and return to work.
• Coordinate FMLA, state and local leave, military leave (USERRA), and company leave programs with vendors and internal partners.
• Track continuous, intermittent, and reduced-schedule leave, ensuring accurate time records, pay codes, and payroll inputs.
• Coordinate overlapping leave programs, PTO, salary continuation, disability benefits, state paid leave, and benefit deductions.
• Coordinate return-to-work dates and documentation, and route restrictions, extension requests, and leave exhaustion for review.
• Own leave and accommodation tickets from intake through resolution, including triage, responses, case notes, and closure.
• Explain leave procedures, documentation, vendor responsibilities, and pay and benefits impacts to employees and managers.
• Serve as the internal operational contact for third-party leave administrators and disability carriers.
• Monitor vendor cases, determinations, notices, certifications, pending actions, and delays.
• Maintain accurate leave records across leave platforms and the HRIS; reconcile discrepancies.
• Support ADA and PWFA interactive processes and coordinate approved accommodations.
• Maintain confidential, audit-ready case records and medical documentation.
• Conduct case and data audits, track notices and deadlines, flag risks and regulatory changes.
• Maintain trackers, checklists, templates, and employee guidance; report on cases, tickets, backlog, aging, returns, vendor delays, and payroll issues.

Requirements:

• 3+ years of hands-on leave administration experience, including independently managing a multi-state caseload from intake through closure and coordinating with third-party leave administrators and disability carriers.
• Strong practical knowledge of FMLA, ADA, PWFA, USERRA, and state leave and disability requirements and best practices, including when to seek guidance.
• Experience managing a high-volume leave caseload supporting non-exempt and clinical or other shift-based employees, including intermittent leave tracking and payroll coordination, as well as supporting frontline managers and exempt employees.
• Experience with employee ticketing tools, leave management platforms, and an HRIS, plus the ability to learn new systems quickly and keep records accurate across them.
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and follow-through across competing deadlines.
• Sound judgment about confidentiality and escalation.
• Clear, empathetic communication and the ability to explain complex processes simply to employees and managers.

Benefits:

• Competitive pay & equity*
• Fully remote
• Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, dental & vision
• Paid time off
• 401k plan + matching
• Paid parental leave
• Home office stipend