Leave of Absence Specialist

Leave Administration and Case Management

• Serve as the primary contact for clients, employees, managers, and benefits vendors on all leave policies and procedures, including but not limited to disability, FMLA, personal leave of absence, military leave, company leave benefits, and state-specific leave requirements.
• Intake client leave of absence requests, make leave designations, and recommend leave to client HR contacts and managers for review and approval, overseeing the process from the team member's initial notice of the need for leave through return-to-work status.
• Process requests for leave and disability benefits, create and maintain all leave-related communications, timelines, and necessary paperwork, and resolve routine claims issues with vendor partner input.
• Facilitate the client team member's departure and maintain communication with the client contact to ensure a smooth departure and timely return to work, relaying communication between team members, managers, and the client HR contact during leave.
• Address complex leave, disability or FML, and HRIS system issues.

Subject Matter Expertise and Guidance

• Provide subject matter expertise and education to clients, Melita HR team members, and employees on leave policies and procedures.

Coordination with Benefits and Payroll

• Work with the Benefits and Payroll teams to coordinate benefit and pay impact while an employee is on leave.

Records, Compliance, and Reporting

• Maintain complete and accurate records of leave and accommodation requests in accordance with specified legal requirements.
• Maintain the Leave of Absence technology tool, track data, and report on LOA metrics and trends.

Required Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of experience in leave administration or a related HR function, preferably in a large organization.
• In-depth knowledge of federal and state leave laws, including FMLA, ADA, and other relevant regulations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex policies and regulations.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to effectively interact with employees at all levels of the organization.
• A high level of discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive employee information.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Employees on leave feel supported and informed, transitions into and out of leave are smooth, and return-to-work happens on time.
• Clients trust Melita to administer leave accurately and compliantly, and leave designations, paperwork, and records hold up to legal and audit scrutiny.
• Benefit and pay impacts are coordinated cleanly with the Benefits and Payroll teams, and LOA metrics and trends are tracked and surfaced to help clients make better decisions.