Benefits and Leave Specialist

Interstate Waste Services•Teaneck Township, NJ

11d

About The Position

Interstate Waste Services is the most progressive and innovative provider of solid waste and recycling services in the country! We primarily service Northern New Jersey, Southern New York State, New York City, Connecticut, with a landfill located in Ohio, where we also own and operate a state-of-the-art rail-served landfill. We cater to a diverse range of residential, industrial and commercial customers. Our mission has always been to provide our customers with the highest quality waste, recycling and environmental services, while keeping focus on employees, customers and environmental safety. What makes our company culture unique is we have mastered the ability to balance the standards of a large corporate company while maintaining our small business family style culture. Essential Job Summary: The Benefits & Leave Specialist assists with administering employee benefits programs and managing the leave of absence processes, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role involves providing support to employees on benefits-related matters, helping during open enrollment, and managing all aspects of leave administration including FMLA, ADA, and other related leaves.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field. Equivalent experience in benefits administration or leave management may substitute for formal education.
2-4 years of experience in leave management and benefits administration and leave
Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations governing benefits and leave
Experience with benefits administration systems and HRIS platforms (e.g., Dayforce, ADP, Workday).
Excellent communication and interpersonal
Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for leave requests and administration, including: FMLA, state paid family/medical leave programs, ADA accommodations (process coordination), workers’ compensation coordination (with Risk/Safety), parental leave, personal leave, military leave, and company-specific leave policies
Handle the FMLA leave administration process from the employee’s initial notice of the need for leave to return to work. This includes gathering and completing all required paperwork, determining leave eligibility, designating leave as FMLA-qualifying, requesting medical certification as needed, and accounting for intermittent and reduced schedule leave use.
Maintain reasonable communication with employees on leave to facilitate smooth and timely return to work; relays communication between employees, their managers, and HRBP during leave.
Advise employees and managers on the interaction of leave laws with paid time off, workers compensation, and short-term and long-term disability benefits.
Track and update leave statuses accurately in Dayforce and benefits leave tracker and communicate with payroll regarding pay status and leave coding.
Oversee the return-to-work process for employees returning from FMLA, workers compensation, or other leave(s).
Facilitate other leave requests, which may include accommodation requests under the ADA.
Maintain complete and accurate records of leave and accommodation requests in accordance with specified legal requirements and documentation of best practices.
Preserve confidentiality of employee medical documentation and files.
Maintain knowledge of all applicable leave and accommodation laws including the FMLA, ADA, and state and local laws.
Evaluate workers' compensation claims to determine FMLA eligibility and whether the employee’s injury or illness qualifies as a disability under the ADA. Initiate and track FMLA leave concurrently with workers' comp where appropriate.
Serve as the subject matter expert on multistate leave laws, ensuring compliance with federal FMLA, ADA), state, and local leave regulations.
Maintain SOPs, job aids, and internal documentation for benefits and LOA processes.
Ensure seamless communication between the Safety Team, HRBPs, and managers regarding an employee’s leave status, medical restrictions, and any required accommodations.
Partner with the Safety Team to engage in the interactive process under the ADA when employees on workers’ compensation need accommodation for return-to-work. Collaborate on temporary or permanent job modifications that support both recovery and compliance with ADA regulations.
Ensure that safety protocols and return-to-work accommodation align with ADA requirements. Work with the Safety Team to ensure a safe and compliant transition back to work after leave.
Facilitate regular discussions with the Safety Team to assess ongoing workers’ compensation cases, review job restrictions, and update managers on leave status and
Provide managers and HRBPs with guidance on balancing workers' compensation with FMLA and ADA, ensuring consistency in applying leave policies and minimizing business disruption.
Maintain accurate documentation of all leave-related communications, ensuring compliance with FMLA, ADA, and workers' compensation laws while protecting employee confidentiality
Respond to inquiries from managers and employees on benefits-related questions via phone, email, and ticketing system with accuracy and efficiency, providing timely support and resolution to daily issues.
Partner with payroll to ensure accurate deductions, retroactive adjustments, and reconciliation of benefit billing and premium payments.
Support audits, open enrollment testing, vendor file feeds, and reporting needs.
Ensure compliance with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) by reviewing provisions related to employee benefits and leave of absence policies, ensuring alignment with organizational practices and regulatory requirements.
Participate in audits and ensure accurate record-keeping of benefits-related
Manage third parties such as Standard Security, the company’s insurance carrier for York short-term disability and paid family leave claims
Manage short-term disability claims through United Healthcare
Prepare and send out all certified mail regarding leaves