Description
Leave of Absence Specialist
Salary up to $120-130k depending on related experience
On-site Boston
Must Haves
Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Five (5) or more years of experience in leave administration.
Experience administering leave programs in a unionized environment strongly preferred.
Experience interpreting and applying collective bargaining agreements.
Position Summary
The Leave of Absence Specialist is responsible for the administration, oversight, and strategic management of employee leave of absence programs for both union and non-union employees. This role serves as the subject matter expert on leave administration, ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, collective bargaining agreements, and organizational policies.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Administer all employee leave programs, including Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML), disability-related leaves, military leave, personal leave, and other employer-sponsored leave programs.
- Manage leave cases from initiation through return-to-work, ensuring accurate documentation, timely communication, and compliance with applicable requirements.
- Review medical certifications, supporting documentation, and leave requests to determine eligibility and ensure compliance with legal and policy requirements.
- Maintain accurate and confidential leave records within the organization's leave management system.
- Ensure timely follow-up with employees regarding required documentation, recertifications, extensions, and return-to-work requirements.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for employees, supervisors, and union representatives regarding leave-related matters.
- Evaluate the operational, workforce, and financial impact of employee leaves on departments and business units.
- Monitor staffing levels, leave trends, and absence patterns to identify areas of risk and operational vulnerability.
- Partner with leaders to develop strategies that maintain service levels and operational continuity during periods of multiple or extended employee absences.
- Recommend staffing solutions, scheduling adjustments, temporary coverage plans, overtime management strategies, and other workforce interventions.
- Prepare reports and analytics that help leaders understand leave utilization trends, workforce availability, and associated operational impacts.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local leave laws, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and organizational policies.
- Conduct thorough reviews of leave documentation and certifications to ensure legitimacy, accuracy, and compliance.
- Monitor leave utilization patterns and identify indicators of potential leave fraud, abuse, misrepresentation, or policy violations.
- Investigate leave-related concerns and irregularities in partnership with Human Resources, Labor Relations, Legal, and management.
- Prepare documentation and findings related to leave misuse investigations and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen controls, improve processes, and reduce organizational risk.
- Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality when handling sensitive employee and medical information.