Leave Management Specialist (Temp)

The Leave Management Specialist serves as the primary subject matter expert for employee leaves of absence, workplace accommodations, and worker’s compensation. The role manages and coordinates cases from initial notice through return to work or case closure, helping ensure timely communication, accurate documentation, consistent administration, and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and Neighborhood Healthcare policies.

This position works closely with employees, business leaders, Human Resources leadership, third-party leave administrators, worker’s compensation carriers, Payroll, Benefits, and other internal partners. The Specialist owns the case-management and compliance process within leave, accommodation, and worker’s compensation programs.

Leave of Absence Management

• Independently administer routine and complex employee leave cases through return to work, separation, or case closures, including FLMA, CFRA, PDL, USERRA, personal leave, sabbatical, and other applicable federal, state, and company-sponsored leave programs
• Analyze leave requests and supporting documentation, determine eligibility and applicable leave protections, identify overlapping entitlements, and ensure appropriate designation and administration

Third-Party Leave Administrator Partnership

• Serve as the primary internal liaison with the organization’s leave administrator
• Monitor case activity, resolve escalations, review discrepancies, and help ensure employees and leaders receive timely and accurate information

Employee & Manager Guidance

• Serves as an advisor to employees and leaders regarding leave eligibility, available leave programs, documentation requirements, timelines, return-to-work requirements, and related organizational procedures
• Advises leaders regarding temporary work arrangements, work restrictions, modified duty, and appropriate next steps when an employee is unable to return to work

Workplace Accommodations/Interactive Process

• Lead the interactive process for accommodation requests in accordance with applicable requirements
• Gather and review supporting documentation, evaluate potential accommodations with the employee, managers, and appropriate business partners, document outcomes, and monitor approved accommodations as needed

Worker’s Compensation

• Own worker’s compensation claims from initial report through return to work or claim closures
• Maintain communication with the employee, supervisor, carrier/administrator, and internal partners; support timely claim reporting; track work restrictions and coordinate modified duty or return-to-work activity as applicable

Return-to-Work Coordination

• Manage return-to-work and fitness for duty processes for leave, accommodation, and worker’s compensation cases
• Confirm required documentation, communicate restrictions to appropriate stakeholders, and coordinate transition back to work while protecting confidential medical information

Safety Partnership

• Partner with Safety and worker’s compensation partners to review injury trends, support reporting and recordkeeping, and identify opportunities to reduce workplace injuries and improve return-to-work outcomes

HRIS & Timekeeping Coordination

• Maintain and audit employee leave status, work status, timekeeping information, and related case data are accurately reflected in the HRIS (UKG)
• Determine required leave-status updates and coordinate necessary adjustments with Payroll, HRIS, Benefits, and other partners to resolve discrepancies

Case Documentation & Confidentiality

• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely case notes and records for leaves, accommodations, and worker’s compensation matters
• Protect medical and other confidential information and limit access to business need-to-know requirements

Data, Reporting & Program Improvement

• Track and analyze case volume, leave utilization, accommodation activity, worker’s compensation trends, return-to-work outcomes, case aging, and other relevant measures
• Identify recurring issues, service gaps, and compliance risks and recommend process, policy, system, or training improvements

Compliance & Regulatory Knowledge

• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of applicable federal and California leave, disability/accommodation, and worker’s compensation requirements
• Interprets regulatory and policy requirements, advise HR and operational leaders regarding application, identify compliance risks, and recommend changes to practices, procedures, or employee communications as appropriate

• Perform other duties as assigned

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience may be considered

• 4 to 6 years of human resources, leave administration, benefits, disability/accommodation, or worker’s compensation experience required, including at least 2 years of direct leave and/or accommodation case management experience

• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and California leave and accommodation requirements, including FMLA, CFRA, PDL, ADA, PWFA, and related leave protections required

• Experience coordinating workers’ compensation claims, work restrictions, return-to-work processes required

• HR Certification preferred

• HRIS experience required; UKG preferred

• Experience working with a third-party leave administrator, workers’ compensation carrier, HRIS and case-management system preferred

• Healthcare or other highly regulated industry experience preferred

• Effective written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills

• Strong MS Office (Word, Excel, OneNote, Power Point & Outlook) skills required

• Detail oriented with excellent customer service skills required

• Must be able to organize and prioritize to meet daily, weekly or program deadlines

• Must be able to work independently, lead others and participate as a team member

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including superior composition, typing and proofreading skills

• Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently

• Ability to work with highly confidential information in a professional and ethical manner

• Ability to lift/carry 10lbs/weight

• Ability to stand for long periods of time

• Follows all safety procedures as outlined in Neighborhood Healthcare’s Illness and Injury Prevention Plan (IIPP) and report any injuries and/or unsafe conditions immediately
• Maintains current knowledge of policies and procedures as they relate to safe work practices
• Uses appropriate body mechanics to ensure an injury free environment
• Familiarity with location of nearest fire extinguisher and emergency exits
• Follows all infection control procedures including blood-borne pathogen protocols
• Maintains privacy of all patients, employee and volunteer information and access such information only on a need-to-know basis for business purposes
• Complies with all regulations regarding corporate integrity and security obligations
• Reports all behavior and/or activity that are unethical, fraudulent, or unlawful