Leave Administrator

Alston & Bird • Atlanta, GA

8d

About The Position

The Leave Administrator administers the firm’s leave and accommodation programs, supporting employees and managers through leave matters with professionalism, compassion, and attention to compliance. The position manages leave cases from initiation through return to work, including leave administration, accommodation coordination, documentation, and return-to-work planning. It works closely with employees, managers, Human Resources, Payroll, Benefits, and third-party administrators to ensure programs are administered consistently under applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The role also supports the day-to-day administration of health and welfare benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and voluntary benefits. Responsibilities include responding to employee benefit questions, processing and auditing Workday transactions, resolving vendor and eligibility discrepancies, and supporting Open Enrollment, vendor implementations, plan changes, and related initiatives. The Leave Administrator contributes to policy and process improvements, employee well-being, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.

Requirements

• Minimum of 4–7 years of progressively responsible experience administering leave of absence programs, disability benefits, accommodations, and related HR processes.
• Experience interpreting and applying federal, state, and local leave laws and regulations.
• Strong knowledge of FMLA, ADA, PWFA, workers’ compensation, disability programs, and state and local leave laws.
• Ability to manage multiple complex leave cases simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and confidentiality.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to handle sensitive situations professionally, empathetically, and discreetly.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and independently resolve complex leave and accommodation issues.
• Proficiency with HRIS, leave management systems, Microsoft Office applications, and reporting tools.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to compliance.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with third-party leave and disability administrators.
• Experience in a professional services, legal, or other highly regulated environment.

Responsibilities

• Administer leave programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, short- and long-term disability, workers’ compensation, military leave, parental leave, paid and personal leave, and applicable state and local programs.
• Serve as the primary contact for employees and managers regarding leave and accommodation processes, eligibility, documentation, timelines, and return-to-work procedures.
• Evaluate and process leave requests in accordance with firm policies and applicable laws.
• Maintain accurate leave documentation and case files while safeguarding confidential employee information.
• Track leave status, certification deadlines, benefit continuation, accommodation requests, and return-to-work dates.
• Coordinate leave administration with employees, supervisors, Human Resources, Benefits, Payroll, and third-party administrators.
• Facilitate the interactive accommodation process and work with stakeholders to identify reasonable accommodations and return-to-work solutions.
• Partner with managers on modified schedules, transitional duty, and other appropriate accommodations.
• Maintain knowledge of relevant legislation, regulatory developments, and leave-management best practices.
• Assist with guidance and training for managers, HR team members, and employees on leave policies and procedures.
• Prepare reports, metrics, and analyses on leave utilization, trends, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
• Assist in reviewing, developing, implementing, and improving leave policies, procedures, and programs.
• Support vendor management, issue resolution, and monitoring of third-party leave and disability administrator service delivery.
• Participate in HR initiatives related to employee well-being, compliance, benefits administration, and process improvement.
• Identify opportunities to streamline leave workflows and improve employee experience and operational efficiency.
• Assist with administration of health and welfare benefits and respond to employee questions about eligibility, enrollment, coverage, and claims.
• Coordinate with benefit vendors to resolve issues.
• Process and monitor Workday benefit transactions for new hires, qualified life events, and terminations.
• Conduct audits and reconcile eligibility, enrollment, rates, deductions, dependent information, vendor files, and invoices; research and resolve discrepancies with vendors and Finance.
• Support Open Enrollment, vendor implementations, plan changes, system testing, data validation, employee communications, enrollment support, and post-enrollment audits.
• Maintain accurate employee-facing benefit resources and handle confidential benefit and health information appropriately.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed