Benefits and Leave Compliance Specialist

Summary:

• Job Title: Benefits and Leave Compliance Specialist
• Job Status: Full-time 
• Location: Remote
• Compensation: Salaried (Exempt)
• Position Type: Direct Hire; note, this is not a contract role
• Pay Range: $65,000 - $80,000 based on experience
• Schedule: 9:00 am - 5:00 PM EST, Monday through Friday.

We’re hiring a Benefits, Leave & Compliance Specialist to own the administration of employee benefits programs and leave of absence management across our U.S. workforce. This is not a generalist benefits role; we’re looking for someone with deep, hands-on experience administering multi-state leave programs who treats regulatory research as a core part of the job, not an add-on. You should be the person who reads a new state leave law before it takes effect, flags the gap, and comes to the table with a recommendation.

You’ll partner closely with People Operations, Finance, Legal, and managers across the company. You learn systems quickly, work independently without being prompted, and are genuinely excited about applying AI and automation to make People Operations more efficient. This is a hands-on role for someone who wants to own a function — not just execute tasks — for the next 2–4 years to continue building depth in People Operations.

What You’ll Be Doing: 

Benefits Administration: 30%

• Administer employee benefits programs end-to-end: enrollments, life events, qualifying status changes, billing reconciliation, and employee questions
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefits inquiries, resolving issues related to eligibility, claims, and carrier escalations
• Conduct benefits orientation for new hires and support open enrollment planning and execution
• Own ACA tracking, compliance reporting, and 1095-C preparation
• Reconcile monthly benefits invoices and coordinate with Finance on discrepancies
• Maintain and audit benefits-related records in the HRIS; ensure data accuracy at all times
• Monitor and communicate regulatory changes affecting benefits (ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA, etc.)
• Support Section 125 plan administration, including HSA and FSA accounts

Leave of Absence Administration & Compliance: 50%

• Own leave compliance across all active employee jurisdictions — including staying ahead of new and pending state legislation and translating it into actionable guidance for the team
• Proactively monitor legislative and regulatory developments across all states where Patriot employees are located; assess impact, develop recommendations, and implement policy or process changes before deadlines hit
• Serve as Patriot’s internal subject matter expert on leave compliance — managers and People Ops should be able to bring you a question and get a clear, confident answer or a well-researched recommendation
• Administer all leave programs across a multi-state U.S. workforce including FMLA, ADA accommodations, parental leave, short-term and long-term disability, and state-specific leave laws
• Manage leave cases from initiation through return-to-work: issue notices, track eligibility, coordinate with employees and managers, and maintain complete documentation
• Partner with managers on ADA interactive process, reasonable accommodation requests, and documentation
• Coordinate with third-party leave administrators and disability carriers as applicable
• Handle workers’ compensation claim intake and coordination with timeliness and care
• Proactively monitor leave expirations and communicate next steps to employees and managers with appropriate urgency

General People Ops Support: 20%

• Assist with scheduling and coordinating performance review cycles: sending reminders, tracking completion status, and following up on outstanding reviews to ensure timely completion.
• Aid in annual compliance audits, federal/state reporting (EEO-1, etc.), and required notices
• Support offboarding, separation documentation, and final pay coordination
• Partner with the People Ops team to develop, update, and communicate HR policies and procedures related to benefits and leave.
• Back up the senior recruiter as needed when multiple job postings are open. 

Please note this is a sample of what you’ll be doing. Your duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

What You’ll Need

• 3-5 years of dedicated, hands-on experience in benefits administration and leave of absence management
• Demonstrated, multi-state leave administration experience is required — including working knowledge of state-specific paid leave laws, FMLA, ADA, COBRA, and state-mandated programs across multiple U.S. jurisdictions
• A demonstrated habit of staying current on multi-state leave law, you actively follow regulatory updates, track pending legislation, and don’t wait to be told when something changes
• Proven ability to research a new leave law, assess its application to our workforce, and bring a clear recommendation — not just flag that something exists
• Strong command of federal and state employment law as it pertains to leave and benefits: FMLA, ADA, ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, FLSA, COBRA — and a genuine drive to stay current as laws evolve
• Experience with ACA compliance including tracking, reporting, and 1095-C coordination
• Comfortable with HRIS and benefits administration platforms; specific tools matter less than your ability to learn them quickly, use them accurately, and own them fully
• Sharp written and verbal communication: clear, direct, and human — including the ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into plain-language guidance for managers and employees
• Highly self-directed — you don’t need someone to tell you a new PFML program just passed or that a leave expiration is coming; you build the systems to catch it yourself
• High integrity when handling sensitive, confidential, and legally complex employee matters
• Proven ability to manage a high volume of concurrent cases without dropping the ball
• High School Diploma or GED required
• Consistent, reliable high-speed internet access and a dedicated, quiet workspace free from distractions

Nice to Have

• HR certification: PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or CLMS (Certified Leave Management Specialist)
• Life, Accident & Health Insurance License
• Experience with Greenhouse ATS or Patriot Software Payroll & Accounting
• Familiarity with state-specific paid family and medical leave programs (WA, NJ, CO, etc.)

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Location & Commitments:

This position is open to all candidates who legally reside and are eligible to work in the United States. This position is currently not open to applicants in the following locations: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Washington D.C.

Working hours are established by each team and department based on business needs.  For this role, core working hours are typically between 9:00 am - 5:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday. Due to the nature of our business, we have busy seasons and “right-nows” that occasionally require working outside of core hours.