Leave & Benefits Specialist

Foley & Lardner LLP•Chicago, IL

2h•$77,500 - $119,400•Onsite

About The Position

The Leave & Benefits Specialist is a key member of the HR Benefits team, responsible for delivering a high-quality employee benefits experience through the administration of health and welfare programs and the management of leave of absence and disability processes. This role oversees the end-to-end coordination of leave cases, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and serves as a primary resource for employees, HR, and leadership on benefits and leave matters. The position partners closely with vendors, Payroll, Accounting, and HR to ensure data accuracy, seamless operations, and timely issue resolution. In addition, the role supports employee engagement through EAP programming and wellness initiatives and contributes to a positive employee experience. This role also plays a key role in evaluating and enhancing leave and benefits processes, driving continuous improvement through technology, automation, and manager enablement.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree required
Minimum of three (3) years of related experience with day-to-day administration of all health and welfare benefits as well as leave administration to include FMLA, Short Term Disability and Leaves of Absence required
Previous HRIS experience strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as subject matter expert and primary administrator for all leave of absence and salary replacement programs while on leave, including FMLA, applicable state and local leave programs, and firm-specific leaves (personal, military, bereavement), as well as short-term disability, paid parental leave, PTO, and vacation. Advise employees, HR, and leadership on eligibility, policy interpretation, and process.
Manage leave cases end-to-end, from initial request through return-to-work/closure, including eligibility determination, documentation review, designation, and ongoing case tracking in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Administer leave programs in compliance with applicable laws and firm policies, ensuring timely issuance of required notices, accurate recordkeeping, and consistent application of leave and pay practices.
Act as primary liaison with third-party leave and disability vendors, monitoring case activity, resolving escalations, and ensuring timely and accurate communication and claim processing. Escalating issues to the Benefits Manager or Sr Manager, Benefits & Compensation as necessary.
Coordinate leave-related impacts across employee relations, payroll, benefits, and operations, including pay calculations, benefits continuation, premium handling, and billable hour considerations, partnering closely with Payroll, Accounting, and HR.
Monitor regulatory developments and assess impact to leave programs, contributing to policy updates, process enhancements, and compliance initiatives. Working with HR and General Counsel’s office to implement changes to processes and procedures as needed.
Deliver day-to-day administration of health and welfare benefit programs, including enrollments, life event changes, and eligibility management, ensuring accuracy across HRIS, payroll, and vendor systems.
Respond to and resolve complex employee inquiries, including claims, eligibility, and coverage issues, acting as an advocate and coordinating with vendors to ensure timely resolution.
Coordinate and deliver EAP-related programming, including scheduling, promoting, and supporting webinars, educational sessions, and awareness initiatives to drive utilization and employee engagement.
Lead wellness initiatives for the local office, planning and executing programs that promote employee well-being, engagement, and alignment with broader firm wellness strategy.
Serve as liaison with benefits carriers and administrators, tracking issues, escalating service concerns, and identifying trends to improve vendor performance and employee experience.
Support annual Open Enrollment activities, including system testing, data validation, employee communications, and issue resolution.
Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems, and service delivery, contributing to operational efficiency and an enhanced employee experience.
Ensure integrity of benefits and leave data across systems, monitoring enrollments, reconciling discrepancies, and maintaining accurate and complete records.
Reconcile and process vendor invoices, partnering with Accounting to ensure accurate allocations, timely payments, and resolution of billing discrepancies.
Produce reports and support audits related to leave and benefits programs, including tracking metrics, data validation, and compliance documentation.
Assess current leave of absence and benefits administration processes, identifying inefficiencies, manual workarounds, and opportunities for improvement
Lead the design and implementation of streamlined technology-enabled processes that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall employee experience
Partner with HRIS, Payroll, and external vendors to optimize system capabilities, automate workflows where feasible, and improve data integration across platforms
Recommend and implement process enhancements aligned with best practices, regulatory requirements, and organizational needs
Develop and maintain clear, standardized procedures and documentation to ensure consistency and scalability of leave and benefits operations
Monitor process performance and identify ongoing opportunities for continuous improvement
Develop and deliver training for managers and HR partners on leave of absence and benefits processes, including roles, responsibilities, and key compliance considerations
Provide practical guidance to managers on how to navigate leave situations, ensuring a consistent and informed approach across the organization
Create and maintain user-friendly training materials, guides, and reference tools to support ongoing education
Promote awareness and understanding of leave and benefits programs, processes, and available resources to enhance the employee and manager experience