Leaves & HR Compliance Manager

National Life Insurance Company • Montpelier, VT

2d • $95,625 - $140,250

About The Position

National Life Group is seeking a Manager, Leaves & HR Compliance to own the enterprise leave of absence, workplace accommodation, and HR compliance programs. This role will establish operational standards, governance, and continuous improvement initiatives to support business objectives. The position is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment and benefits laws, while delivering a consistent, compliant, and compassionate associate experience. The role also provides oversight of HR policy governance and regulatory readiness. Reporting to the Head of Benefits, this position partners closely with HR, payroll, legal, and business leaders to align leave and accommodation practices with National Life’s values, operational goals, and employee experience priorities. Additionally, this role provides broader HR compliance oversight to support adherence to employment laws/regulations, internal policies, and audit readiness.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8-10 years of experience in leave of absence, accommodations, HR compliance, and/or benefits administration.
• Experience leading compliance programs required.
• Knowledge of FMLA, ADA, PWFA, and state/local leave laws.
• Understanding of employment law and HR compliance requirements across multiple states.
• Working knowledge of benefits compliance (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Project management and process improvement capabilities.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems, leave management platforms, and Microsoft Office tools.

Nice To Haves

• PHR/SPHR or similar certification preferred, such as CEBS, CBP, or CLMS.
• Deep knowledge of FMLA, ADA, PWFA, and state/local leave laws.
• Experience in insurance or financial services industry.
• Strong understanding of employment law and HR compliance requirements across multiple states.
• Strong project management and process improvement capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of leave of absence and accommodation programs, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, USERRA, state leave programs, parental leave, and company-sponsored leaves.
• Establish and maintain scalable processes that balance compliance, efficiency, and employee experience.
• Oversee the end-to-end administration of leave and accommodation cases, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and consistency.
• Guide complex and escalated cases, including ADA accommodations and intermittent leave scenarios, serving as escalation point.
• Monitor regulatory changes and proactively update policies, procedures, and practices.
• Define service level expectations and operational metrics.
• Monitor operational performance and implement process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable employment regulations and internal policies.
• Monitor regulatory changes and proactively recommend updates to policies, practices, and procedures.
• Partner with legal and HR leadership to interpret laws and implement compliant, practical solutions.
• Partner with Payroll to ensure accurate pay, deductions, and benefit continuation during leave events.
• Validate payroll impacts related to benefits, leave, and accommodations.
• Collaborate with Benefits and vendors to ensure seamless administration and communication.
• Support compliance activities related to health and welfare benefit plans in partnership with Benefits, legal, and external vendors.
• Coordinate and support preparation and timely filing of Form 5500 and associated schedules for applicable benefit plans.
• Support nondiscrimination testing (e.g., Section 125, 105(h), 410(b), 410(k)(3), 401(m)(2), 416, and other applicable testing) to ensure plan compliance and equity.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and other applicable benefits regulations.
• Support delivery of required associate notices and audit documentation.
• Maintenance and governance of HR policies and procedures, including the Associate Handbook.
• Ensure policies are updated in response to regulatory changes and aligned with company practices.
• Manage communication of policy updates in partnership with Communications.
• Establish key performance indicators for leave administration and compliance.
• Analyze trends and implement operational improvements based on data.
• Develop and maintain reporting on compliance activities.
• Partner with HR analytics teams to align reporting with broader workforce insights.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer-centric service.
• Set performance standards and ensure delivery of high-quality, timely outcomes.
• Support HR Business Partners and business leaders on compliance, policy, and associate-related matters.
• Partner with HR Business Partners, managers, and associates to provide guidance on leave, accommodations, and compliance processes.
• Collaborate with legal, compensation, talent, IT, and external vendors to ensure aligned solutions.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on complex associate leave/accommodation situations.
• Leverage approved AI tools, where appropriate, to improve the efficiency, quality, and impact of their work.
• Stay curious and open to new AI-enabled ways of working.
• Exercise sound judgment by reviewing and validating AI-generated content.
• Maintain accountability for the accuracy, quality, fairness, and integrity of work products by adhering to National Life's AI guiding principles.
• Use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies related to confidentiality, data privacy, security, compliance, retention, and intellectual property.

Benefits

• Base Pay Range: $95,625—$140,250 USD
• Benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable.
• 401(k) eligibility
• Various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave.
• Discretionary annual incentive programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager