Associate General Counsel, Group Benefit Solutions Counsel, Absence Management

New York Life•New York, NY

38d•$166,500 - $238,000•Remote

About The Position

New York Life's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as a key legal partner to the Group Benefit Solutions, Absence Management business. In this role, you will provide strategic, practical legal advice regarding the development, implementation, administration, sale, and ongoing enhancement of New York Life's absence management and leave administration solutions, statutory disability and paid family and medical leave offerings, workplace accommodation services, and related group insurance and service offerings. You will work closely with leaders and subject matter experts across Product, Operations, Claims, Distribution, Compliance, Government Affairs, Risk, Technology, and other functions to evaluate complex and evolving legal requirements, translate those requirements into practical business and operational guidance, and help the business make informed decisions that appropriately balance legal and regulatory risk with business objectives. This role offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic area shaped by a rapidly evolving landscape of federal, state, and local leave, disability, accommodation, employee benefits, and insurance laws.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school and active membership in good standing in at least one state bar.
Five or more years of relevant legal experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, insurance company, employee benefits organization, absence management provider, or comparable environment.
Meaningful experience advising on absence management, employee leave, workplace accommodations, employee benefits, employment law, or a closely related area, including experience with FMLA, ADA, PWFA, and state paid family medical leave programs.
Demonstrated ability to analyze complex and evolving legal requirements and translate them into clear, practical advice for product, operational, and business teams.
Strong business judgment and the ability to identify and communicate legal risk in a manner that enables business leaders to make informed decisions.
Excellent communication and relationship-management skills, including the ability to explain complex legal issues clearly to operational professionals, product teams, business leaders, senior executives, and other stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively across functions, manage multiple priorities, exercise sound legal judgment, and develop pragmatic solutions to complex legal and business issues.
Strong commercial contracting skills, including experience drafting and negotiating client agreements and developing contract templates or playbooks.
Knowledge of laws and regulations affecting leave and absence management products and services, including federal and state leave requirements, statutory disability and paid leave programs, workplace accommodation requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience advising an insurer, employee benefits organization, third-party administrator, or other provider of absence management or leave administration services.
Knowledge of ERISA and insurance regulation.
Experience supporting group insurance or employee benefits products and services.
Experience advising on product development, implementation, or regulatory-change initiatives involving technology-enabled administrative services.
Experience working with Product, Operations, Claims, Distribution, Compliance, Government Affairs, Risk, Privacy, Technology, or other cross-functional partners.

Responsibilities

Serve as a principal legal resource to the Group Benefit Solutions Absence Management business on legal and regulatory matters affecting leave administration, statutory disability and paid family and medical leave programs, workplace accommodations, and related products and services.
Advise on the full lifecycle of Absence Management products and services, including product strategy and design, development of new capabilities, implementation, administration, Distribution and marketing, client arrangements, and ongoing product and operational enhancements.
Analyze complex federal, state, and local legal and regulatory requirements affecting Absence Management offerings and translate those requirements into practical product, administrative, and operational guidance.
Monitor and assess legislative, regulatory, and other legal developments and partner with Product, Operations, Claims, Distribution Compliance, Government Affairs, and other stakeholders to evaluate their impact and implement appropriate changes to products, services, processes, and business practices.
Provide risk-based legal advice to business leaders, clearly identifying legal and regulatory risks, areas of uncertainty, available options, and potential mitigants to support informed business decision-making.
Partner with cross-functional teams to address complex operational and client issues involving leave administration, statutory disability, workplace accommodations, and related services and to develop practical, scalable solutions.
Review, draft, and negotiate client agreements and other arrangements relating to Absence Management products and services, and help develop and maintain contract provisions, templates, guidance, and playbooks that promote consistency and efficient legal support.
Advise, in coordination with other subject matter experts within the Office of the General Counsel, on related issues involving ERISA, group insurance regulation, employment law, privacy and data use, technology, and other areas relevant to the Absence Management business.
Support the development and launch of new products, services, and capabilities and provide legal guidance regarding associated client communications, marketing materials, implementation approaches, and operating models.
Build strong relationships with business leaders and other partners and serve as a practical, solutions-oriented legal advisor who understands both the legal environment and the business's strategic and operational objectives.
Lead or participate in initiatives to improve legal-service delivery, develop scalable guidance and tools, and enhance legal and business processes.