Leave Specialist

Menzies Aviation•Grapevine, TX

10h

About The Position

The Leave Specialist monitors medical management of leaves of absence, FMLA, workers’ compensation claims, return-to-work (RTW) administration, and transitional duty. The role applies expertise in leave and case management, early intervention, safe return to work, and workplace accommodation, partnering with employees, supervisors, and managers to deliver excellent customer service and effective practices. The specialist administers leave processes and related technology, manages vendor relationships, monitors concerns and trends, and serves as a subject matter expert on leave programs. The role stays current on relevant state and federal laws and collective bargaining agreements, protects confidential information and HIPAA compliance, supports audits, and makes decisions concerning reasonable accommodations and the interactive process. The role also develops and administers the company’s RTW program, identifies transitional-duty assignments consistent with medical restrictions, coordinates RTW offers, trains business partners, and builds relationships among employees, vendors, and management. It collaborates with employees, managers, insurance carriers, and healthcare providers to manage occupational absences proactively and confidentially, ensure timely documentation, develop RTW strategies, analyze data, maintain records, and provide superior customer service. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Completion of post-secondary education or an equivalent combination of education and demonstrated related work experience.
Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and monitoring return-to-work and accommodation programs.
Demonstrated experience interpreting relevant employment, workers’ compensation, and disability policies, procedures, legislation, and regulations.
Progressive experience with timely, safe return-to-work strategies.
Knowledge of workers’ compensation law and familiarity with ADA, FMLA, and state-equivalent leave laws.
Understanding of current absence-management best practices for occupational and non-occupational illnesses and injuries.
Self-motivated and highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced, changing, high-demand environment, prioritize, and drive tasks and projects to completion.
Solid time-management, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Knowledge of computers and software applications, including Microsoft Windows NT, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Claims Management, and Outlook.
Ability to comply with company health and safety policies and applicable International Aviation Safety and Security standards.

Responsibilities

Administer organizational leave processes, including FMLA, MLOA, workers’ compensation, return to work, and transitional duty.
Source and maintain technology related to leave administration, manage vendor relationships, and seek efficiency improvements.
Monitor and address concerns with stakeholders to improve lost-time outcomes.
Stay current on leave-related trends, innovations, state and federal legislation and regulations, and collective bargaining agreement provisions.
Serve as the subject matter expert for leave programs and collaborate with stakeholders.
Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and ensure HIPAA compliance.
Conduct internal and external audits as needed.
Make reasonable accommodation decisions and manage the interactive process.
Meet regularly with managers, labor relations, and employee relations to develop workforce-management strategies and mutually beneficial resolutions.
Implement and administer the company’s Return to Work Program.
Identify potential transitional-duty assignments that comply with employees’ medical restrictions and coordinate return-to-work offers.
Train business partners on the company’s return-to-work process.
Build relationships among employees, vendors, and management to understand and improve the RTW process.
Collaborate with employees, management, insurance carriers, and healthcare providers on proactive, confidential management of occupational absences.
Interact with employees and medical providers to ensure required documentation is completed in a timely manner.
Develop proactive RTW strategies that support employees and business needs and expectations.
Track and identify workplace trends and assist with implementing programs to address them.
Support the RTW process through data analysis and recordkeeping.
Deliver superior customer service.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Follow workplace health and safety requirements, report hazards and incidents, cooperate with managers and supervisors on legal requirements, and attend company-arranged training.