Benefits & Leave Management Specialist

Vireo Health•New York City, NY

16h•$60,000 - $70,000

About The Position

The Benefits & Leave of Absence (LOA) Specialist is responsible for administering and supporting employee benefit programs and leave management for a diverse cannabis workforce across multiple states. This role serves both hourly and salaried employees, including union and non-union populations, and provides day-to-day guidance on benefits eligibility, enrollments, life events, LOA requests, ADA accommodations coordination, worker’s compensation and return-to-work processes. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, service-minded, and experienced in high-volume employee support environments, with strong knowledge of compliance requirements and the ability to communicate clearly with employees, managers, HR partners, vendors, and union contacts.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in benefits administration and/or LOA management (HR, HR Ops, shared services, or similar).
Experience supporting hourly employees and high-volume employee populations.
Working knowledge of benefits eligibility, enrollments, life events, and leave management best practices.
Familiarity with union and non-union employee groups and ability to interpret/adhere to different plan rules or contract provisions.
Strong understanding of compliance concepts related to benefits and LOA (FMLA/ADA/COBRA).
Proficiency with HR systems (HRIS, benefits platforms) and Excel.
Excellent communication skills, customer service skills and ability to explain complex policies in plain language.
Strong attention to detail, organization, and documentation discipline.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a multi-state workforce (especially in regulated industries like cannabis, manufacturing, distribution, retail, or healthcare).
Exposure to collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)
Knowledge of state paid leave programs (e.g., NY, MD, MN)
Located in one of our current markets including MN, NY and MD

Responsibilities

Administer health and welfare benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life/AD&D, disability, FSA/HSA, EAP, voluntary benefits, and retirement plans (as applicable).
Support benefits eligibility and enrollments for new hires, annual open enrollment, qualifying life events, and status changes for hourly and salaried populations.
Maintain accurate benefit records and employee elections in HRIS/benefits administration platforms, ensuring alignment with vendor files and payroll deductions.
Provide benefits education and support to employees, answering questions in a clear, respectful, and compliant manner.
Partner with payroll to ensure accurate deductions, retroactive adjustments, and reconciliation of benefit billing and premium payments.
Support union benefits administration as applicable, including: Eligibility tracking and required union documentation Coordination with union benefit funds or plan administrators Contractual benefit interpretation and communication support Audits and reporting related to union populations
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
Coordinate with third-party worker’s comp vendor to ensure leave cases are opened, documented, tracked, and closed appropriately.
Manage leave-related communications with employees and managers, including timelines, required documentation, benefit impacts, return-to-work requirements, and job protection parameters.
Track and update leave statuses accurately in HRIS and communicate with payroll regarding pay status, benefits continuation, and leave coding.
Support employees through the leave lifecycle, including intermittent leave tracking, extensions, and return-to-work planning.
Assist with COBRA administration support, terminations, and employee inquiries (either directly or through a vendor).
Support audits, open enrollment testing, vendor file feeds, and reporting needs.
Maintain SOPs, job aids, and internal documentation for benefits and LOA processes.