Benefits Specialist Contractor

LeadVenture

8d•Remote

About The Position

The Global Leaves & Accommodations Specialist administers and communicates the company's leave of absence programs across the U.S. and internationally, guiding employees and managers through leave options, policy features, and procedural requirements. This role owns the end-to-end leave and accommodation process globally — from intake through return-to-work — serving as the primary point of contact for employees and managers in the U.S. and all international locations, while partnering with in-country HR and legal counsel to ensure local law is applied correctly in each jurisdiction. The role partners closely with HR, Legal, Payroll, and Benefits to ensure every leave and accommodation is administered accurately, consistently, and in full compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and international law. This is a full-time remote role based in the United States.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree Human Resource, related field, or equivalent practical experience.
2+ years of experience administering leave of absence programs, including FMLA, ADA, and state/local leave laws; experience administering or coordinating leave/accommodation programs across multiple countries required.
In-depth working knowledge of federal, state, and applicable international leave and accommodation regulations.
Demonstrated experience leading the ADA interactive process and managing accommodation requests end-to-end.
Experience partnering with third-party leave/disability administrators, insurance carriers, and in-country HR or legal partners.
Experience working with in-country HR or legal partners to apply local employment law in a multi-country operating environment.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage a high volume of concurrent, sensitive leave cases.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex policies clearly and empathetically to employees at all levels.
High degree of discretion and sound judgment in handling sensitive and confidential employee information.
Proficiency with HRIS and leave management systems (e.g., Workday, ADP, ServiceNow, or similar) and Microsoft Office Suite.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

PHR, SHRM-CP, GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources), or Certified Leave Management Specialist (CLMS) certification a plus.
Spanish or Dutch language proficiency a plus.

Responsibilities

Administer and communicate leave of absence programs across all company locations (FMLA, state/local paid and unpaid leave, short- and long-term disability, parental leave, USERRA, and statutory leave frameworks in Canada, Mexico, Belize, India, and the Netherlands), serving as the primary contact for eligibility, documentation, and process — in partnership with in-country HR and legal counsel, who provide guidance on local legal requirements and interpretation.
Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers, providing clear, empathetic guidance on eligibility, paperwork, timelines, and job protections.
Manage intake, case tracking, and recordkeeping for all leave requests, coordinating with third-party administrators, insurance carriers, and in-country partners to ensure accurate claims processing and consistent case handling.
Own the leave case process end-to-end in every location where the company operates, directly managing employee and manager communication, documentation, and case resolution, while escalating jurisdiction-specific legal questions to in-country HR/legal partners for guidance.
Partner with Payroll and Benefits to ensure accurate pay treatment, benefits continuation, and return-to-work processing.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and international leave laws in coordination with Legal and HR leadership, proactively monitoring legislative changes and translating them into updated policy, process, and communications.
Maintain strict confidentiality of employee medical and leave information.
Support internal and external audits by maintaining accurate documentation and demonstrable compliance controls.
Maintain working knowledge of leave and accommodation law across all operating countries sufficient to administer programs and answer employee/manager questions accurately; escalate complex or novel legal interpretation questions to in-country HR/legal partners and Legal.
Handle employee medical and leave documentation in compliance with applicable data privacy laws in each jurisdiction (e.g., HIPAA-adjacent state requirements, GDPR, India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act), partnering with Legal/IT on cross-border data handling requirements.
Lead the interactive process for ADA accommodation requests, partnering with employees, managers, HRBPs, and Legal to evaluate requests, identify accommodations, and document decisions.
Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on the ADA interactive process and lead accommodation case management globally; for accommodation requests outside the U.S., manage the process and case documentation while partnering with in-country HR/legal counsel on jurisdiction-specific obligations and standards.
Track accommodation requests and outcomes to ensure timely resolution, consistent policy application, and proper documentation.
Develop and maintain leave policy documentation, employee communications, FAQs, and manager guidance to ensure consistent understanding of leave programs.
Track and report leave program metrics (e.g., volume, duration, return-to-work rates, accommodation trends) to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
Identify process inefficiencies and recommend improvements to leave administration, technology, and workflows.
Provide training to HR business partners and people leaders on leave and accommodation policies, procedures, and manager responsibilities.
Additional duties and responsibilities as required.