Leave of Absence Specialist

Position Description

Purpose

The purpose of this role is to administer the company's leave of absence (LOA) programs, ensuring compliant, accurate, and timely administration of employee leaves in accordance with federal, state, local law and company policy.

Focus & Scope

Essential duties and responsibilities, i.e. those which are basic, necessary, and an integral part of the job, are indicated below:

• Responsible for the day-to-day administration of the company's leave of absence programs, exercising independent judgment to evaluate leave and accommodation requests against applicable federal, state, and company policy and to determine eligibility, designation, and appropriate case handling.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for policy and program inquiries from employees, managers, and HR Managers via email, phone, and Microsoft Teams, using discretion to resolve questions that fall outside standard guidance and escalating complex matters as appropriate.
• Ensures proper administration of leave of absence and time off programs consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws and company policy, including independently resolving situations involving overlapping or conflicting leave entitlements (e.g., FMLA, CFRA, PDL, and workers' compensation).
• Manages the active leave of absence process, including record retention, the interactive process, and return-to-work, exercising judgment in recommending reasonable accommodations. Works with Payroll and insurance carriers to ensure proper pay during Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD), and coordinates with Risk Management on cases involving concurrent workers' compensation leave.
• Works with HR Managers regarding ADA/FEHA accommodation in their respective departments, exercising independent judgment in evaluating and recommending accommodation solutions.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for third-party leave administrators and vendors, monitoring service delivery and resolving escalated or complex cases.
• Develops and maintains standard operating procedures and leave policy documentation; delivers periodic training and communications to managers and HR Managers on leave and accommodation obligations.
• Conducts routine audits of leave records and data to ensure accuracy, compliance, and audit-readiness; prepares leave-related reporting and metrics for HR leadership as needed.
  
  
  

Relationships, Qualifications And Requirements, & Competencies

Key Relationships

Reports To

• Total Rewards Supervisor
  
  
  

Direct Reports

• None
  
  
  

External Clients

• Third-party Administrators and Vendors
  
  
  

Internal Clients

• All employees throughout the Teichert Family of Companies
  
  
  

Education

Role Qualifications & Requirements

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related field or an equivalent combination of training, education, and experience.
• Professional HR certification such as PHR, CEBS, or CBP preferred.
  
  
  

Experience And Industry Expertise

• Minimum 2-5 years of experience administering leave of absence programs, or an equivalent combination of training and related experience.
  
  
  

Specific Job Requirements

• Successful completion of pre-employment drug, alcohol, and background investigation
• Ability to preserve confidential and proprietary information
• Experience with HRIS or Payroll systems (UKG or Vista a plus).
• Working knowledge of leave of absence and reasonable accommodation processes
• General understanding of HR policies, practices, laws and regulations.
• Knowledge of HIPAA, ERISA, FMLA, ADA, CFRA, and related leave and disability law
• Knowledge of leave of absence processes and reasonable accommodation in accordance with local and federal laws
• Ability to use customer service and a positive approach to resolve employee leave issues; strong focus on customer satisfaction
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with third-party administrators, vendors, and internal departments
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and HRIS/database programs pertaining to leave of absence administration
• Demonstrated sound judgment and ability to make decisions in a timely manner
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple assignments and meet tight deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy
  
  
  

Competencies

• Building Relationships
• Listening
• Initiative
• Dependability
• Judgement/Decision Making
• Safety
  
  
  

Equipment Used, Physical Demands, and Work Environment

Equipment Used

• General office equipment, telephone, automobile, personal protective equipment (i.e. safety glasses, hearing protection) when visiting plants.
  
  
  

Physical Demands & Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment characteristics are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical: Sitting for long periods of time working on the computer or attending meetings. Job site visits require walking on uneven ground, steep slopes, and exposure to extreme temperature and/or humidity. Some lifting of materials and equipment up to 20 lbs.
• Work Environment: Typical office environment with adequate temperatures and lighting, low levels of noise. Demands of meeting tight deadlines. Exposed to the conditions of job sites which can include loud noise, dust, fumes, and extreme weather conditions prevalent at the time. May work various hours, including early mornings, dusk or evenings.
  
  
  

Base Salary Range

$77,500.00 - $108,500.00

The range displayed reflects the range the company reasonable expects to pay for the position. The actual base salary is subject to variation due to the role, level, geographic location, relevant education, training, or experience, among other factors.

Employer Disclosure Statement

The above statements and job description is intended to describe the nature and level of work being performed within this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and tasks. Other similar or additional duties are performed as assigned.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Teichert and its subsidiaries pride themselves on being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals seeking employment at our company are considered without regards to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done that will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing an undue hardship on the company. If you are an applicant with a disability, please inform Robert Maxey (RMaxey@teichert.com) if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Notice to Staffing Agencies

Teichert, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Teichert") will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Teichert, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Teichert mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Teichert employees, or to Teichert’s resume database will be considered Teichert property. Teichert will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Teichert will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. Agencies must obtain advance written approval from Teichert’s recruiting function to submit resumes, and then only in conjunction with a valid fully-executed contract for service and in response to a specific job opening. Teichert will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have such agreement in place. Agency agreements will only be valid if in writing and signed by Teichert’s Human Resources Representative or his/ her designee. No other Teichert employee is authorized to bind Teichert to any agreement regarding the placement of candidates by Agencies.

Street Address

3500 American River Drive

City

Sacramento

State/Province

California

Zip Code

95864

Job Title

Leave of Absence Specialist