Leave & workers compensation specialist

The Leave and Workers Compensation Specialist serves as a strategic partner to the business and a subject-matter resource for leave of absence, workplace accommodations, and workers compensation. The role independently manages complex cases and escalations, provides consultative guidance to leaders and P&C stakeholders, and holds third-party administrators and vendors accountable for service, compliance, employee experience, and operational outcomes. The Specialist also identifies trends, improves processes, and supports consistent application of policies across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership and Escalation Management

• Act as a strategic partner to business leaders, P&C stakeholders, Payroll, HSE, Risk, Legal, and site leadership on complex leave, accommodation, and workers compensation matters.
• Own and resolve escalated, sensitive, high-risk, or near-termination cases, ensuring timely stakeholder alignment, clear documentation, and appropriate referral to HRBP, Legal, or other experts.
• Provide consultative guidance on policy interpretation, case strategy, return-to-work planning, operational risk, and employee experience.
• Identify recurring issues and emerging trends; recommend practical policy, process, technology, training, and service improvements.
• Support business planning by translating leave and workers compensation data into insights, risks, and recommended actions.

Leave of Absence and Accommodation Administration

• Independently manage complex leave cases throughout the claim lifecycle and serve as a point of escalation for employees, managers, P&C stakeholders, and the third-party administrator.
• Lead the interactive accommodation process with employees, managers, P&C, the TPA, and other stakeholders; document options, decisions, and follow-up actions.
• Manage inquiries from state paid-leave programs and monitor coordination between statutory, company, and vendor-administered benefits.
• Oversee shared leave inboxes, case queues, reports, knowledge content, and service standards to ensure timely and consistent responses.

Workers Compensation

• Lead the pre-claim and claim intake process promptly, coordinating initial facts, wage information, medical documentation, and required reporting.
• Manage complex or litigated claims in partnership with the employee, manager, TPA, medical providers, Risk, HSE, attorneys, and other stakeholders.
• Develop claim strategies focused on appropriate care, safe return to work, cost stewardship, compliance, and timely resolution.
• Coordinate claim closure activities, including fitness-for-duty, transitional work, settlements, hearings, reimbursements, and documentation.
• Partner with the Risk Manager regarding reserves and settlement authority; review claim developments and challenge assumptions when appropriate.
• Analyze claim trends, root causes, cycle times, costs, and outcomes; partner with HSE and business leaders on prevention and corrective actions.
• Conduct periodic file reviews and audits to verify documentation quality, regulatory compliance, financial accuracy, and vendor performance.

Vendor Management

• Serve as the primary operational relationship lead for leave and workers compensation TPAs and related vendors.
• Establish and monitor service expectations, performance measures, issue logs, escalation paths, and corrective action plans.
• Lead recurring vendor reviews, evaluate service quality and case outcomes, and ensure commitments are completed on time.
• Review reports, invoices, fees, and contractual deliverables for accuracy and alignment with agreed services; escalate material concerns.
• Partner with Procurement, Legal, Benefits, Risk, and P&C leadership on vendor selection, implementation, renewal, and contract or service discussions.
• Coordinate vendor communications, system or process changes, testing, and stakeholder readiness activities.

Program Operations, Compliance, and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor applicable federal, state, and local requirements and vendor updates; assess operational impact and coordinate timely process or communication changes.
• Partner with stakeholders to drive consistent policy application, documentation, controls, and recordkeeping across locations.
• Develop and maintain procedures, job aids, templates, knowledge articles, escalation protocols, and audit documentation.
• Design and facilitate training for supervisors, employees, and P&C stakeholders using media appropriate to the audience and subject.
• Lead or contribute to projects, implementations, annual benefit activities, webinars, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Provide coaching and technical guidance to team members; share expertise and promote consistent case management practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Essential Functions

• Deliver a high level of service with empathy, discretion, sound judgment, and a solutions-oriented approach.
• Independently prioritize high-volume, time-sensitive work while maintaining accurate and complete documentation.
• Communicate complex or technical information clearly to audiences with varying levels of knowledge.
• Influence outcomes across functions without direct authority and navigate competing business and employee needs.
• Use data, reports, and case information to identify risk, draw conclusions, and recommend action.
• Use Microsoft Office applications, internal databases, external software, and TPA systems effectively.
• Manage shared Outlook inboxes and case queues according to established controls and service expectations.
• Travel up to 10 percent based on business needs and budget.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance.

Education, Experience, and Skills Required

• Bachelor degree in Human Resources, Business, Risk Management, or a related field preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in leave administration, workplace accommodations, workers compensation, employee benefits, HR operations, or a related discipline, including experience independently managing complex cases.
• Experience supporting a multi-location organization; manufacturing or other operational environments preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing vendor relationships, performance issues, and service escalations.
• Working knowledge of leave, accommodation, workers compensation, and paid-leave requirements, with the ability to recognize when legal or specialized guidance is needed.
• Experience working with insurance carriers, TPAs, medical providers, attorneys, payroll teams, and business leaders.
• Strong consultation, stakeholder management, problem-solving, negotiation, analytical, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, handle confidential information, and remain composed in sensitive situations.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams; experience using case management or vendor platforms preferred.
• Bilingual English and Spanish skills are a plus.
• Relevant professional certification is preferred.

Salary Range: $105,000-$120,000 annually. Final compensation will be based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.