ADA Accommodation & Risk Specialist

City of Overland Park•Overland Park, KS

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Overland Park is hiring a full-time ADA Accommodation & Risk Specialist in its Human Resources Department. The role provides technical, administrative, and professional support for the City's ADA compliance programs and serves as the subject matter expert for workplace accommodations and the interactive process. The specialist works with employees, supervisors and managers, Human Resources, Legal, and the ADA committee to evaluate accommodation requests, identify reasonable solutions, document cases, and support timely implementation and resolution. The position also provides guidance on accommodation matters involving the ADA, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and return-to-work situations. It supports HR operations, safety and loss prevention, leave and risk case management, records management, and organizational committees. The role requires daily in-office work, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional weekend availability if needed. Travel to meetings and training is required and may occasionally involve overnight stays. The position has no direct or indirect supervisory responsibility.

Requirements

Meet one of the following qualification paths: graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework in human resources, organizational development, public administration, business administration, or a related field, plus two years of increasingly responsible HR professional-level experience related to the position; OR valid HRCI Professional in Human Resources certification plus three years of related professional-level experience; OR five years of related HR experience, including three years at the professional level.
Knowledge of workplace accommodation practices and the interactive process.
Knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal employment laws and regulations, including ADA, PWFA, and FMLA.
Ability to interpret and consistently and practically apply laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Ability to identify problems and develop legal and effective resolutions; organize documents; and establish and maintain professional relationships.
Strong oral and written communication skills, including interpreting documents, writing reports, and speaking effectively to individuals and groups.
Basic mathematics skills and ability to interpret data such as charts, graphs, ratios, and percentages.
Ability to adapt to change; communicate effectively and respectfully across organizational levels; and respond to questions about benefits, employment law, administrative policies, and collective labor agreements.
High degree of judgment, discretion, and confidentiality; ability to interact effectively in difficult or stressful situations and remain calm under pressure.
Ability to work independently, manage time and multiple priorities, work accurately with limited supervision in a fast-paced environment, and operate effectively as part of a team.
Ability to perform administrative tasks using electronic systems and operate in the Google Workspace environment; collect data and create documents supporting data findings.
Ability to manage workload and subject-matter variation and maintain cooperative professional relationships with customers, peers, supervisors, managers, and the community.
Attain and maintain designation as an Authorized Designee (AD) to conduct criminal records checks of prospective and current employees.
Knowledge of government organization and procedures; state and federal employment laws, especially those concerning leave and workers' compensation; HR confidentiality rules; applicable county policies and procedures; and related document retention schedules.
Ability to work Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the work site, with occasional weekend availability if needed.
Ability to secure and maintain a Kansas-valid driver's license or an acceptable alternative means of transportation.
Must successfully pass a background check, drug screen, physical exam, and essential functions test.
Must be legally eligible to work in the United States and provide proof of eligibility if selected.
Meet the physical demands of the position, including regular sitting, talking or hearing; frequent repetitive hand motions, handling or feeling; and standing, walking, reaching, bending, or lifting up to 20 pounds regularly and 30 pounds occasionally.

Nice To Haves

HRCI certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or above is preferred.
Public sector experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the interactive process for workplace accommodation requests and serve as the primary point of contact throughout the process.
Advise employees and organizational leaders on workplace accommodations and accommodation options.
Review requests, supporting documentation, job requirements, and operational needs to identify reasonable accommodation options.
Consult with the ADA committee regarding accommodation decisions, implementation, and ongoing management.
Partner with Human Resources divisions and Legal on accommodation matters involving leave, medical restrictions, return-to-work processes, or other employment issues.
Maintain complete and accurate documentation of requests, interactive processes, and case outcomes; monitor cases for timely follow-up, implementation, and resolution.
Guide accommodations involving the ADA, PWFA, FMLA, and return-to-work situations; escalate complex or high-risk matters to the ADA Accommodations Committee and Legal.
Coach leaders on handling accommodation situations and communicating with employees.
Provide awareness training regarding safety and accommodation materials and laws; develop or provide accommodation resources, tools, procedures, and training materials.
Review accommodation trends and recurring issues and recommend process improvements.
Order ADA committee-recommended accommodation items, process related invoices, and maintain the accommodation item log and ADA spreadsheets.
Maintain current knowledge of accommodation practices and applicable employment laws and regulations.
Provide HR support for routine policy questions and workplace concerns; serve as an alternate contact for leaves, safety, workers' compensation, and records case management.
Provide backup for the Leave and Risk Specialist and Records Clerk.
Assist the Workplace Violence Committee, Emergency Management, and Safety Council as needed.
Coordinate activities, projects, and ongoing maintenance of organized systems supporting HR functions; assist the Office Manager with HR events and assigned projects.
Provide technical, complex, confidential, administrative, clerical, and professional support to Human Resources operations.
Assist the Administrator, Safety & Loss Prevention in functional safety areas and perform other assigned duties.
Meet attendance, punctuality, work deadline, and availability expectations; be available to communicate during regular business hours or shifts as needed.