Job Title: HR Specialist III
Contract Duration: 12 Months, Possible Extension
Location: Plano, TX
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Pay Range: $39 – $41/hr
Summary
The HR Specialist III will be responsible for administering and managing U.S. Leave of Absence (LOA), disability, and workplace accommodation programs. This role serves as a subject matter expert on leave administration, ADA accommodations, and regulatory compliance, while partnering with employees, managers, HR, Legal, Payroll, and third-party leave administrators to ensure a positive employee experience and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Responsibilities
- Administer all U.S. leave programs, including FMLA, ADA, Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), Paid Parental Leave, Military Leave, Personal Leave, and applicable state leave programs.
- Serve as the primary liaison with Reliance Matrix/Reliance Standard Life Insurance, managing case escalations, claim reviews, operational performance, and service delivery.
- Lead the ADA interactive process and coordinate reasonable accommodation requests with employees, managers, HR, Legal, and healthcare providers.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, USERRA, and applicable state leave laws.
- Create, maintain, and close Leave of Absence events in Workday while ensuring accurate records and timely return-to-work processing.
- Partner with Payroll, HRIS, and business leaders to coordinate leave administration and employee return-to-work activities.
- Educate employees and managers on leave policies, workplace accommodations, and available benefit programs.
- Monitor leave activity, analyze trends, and recommend process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and employee experience.
- Develop and maintain leave policies, procedures, and supporting documentation.
- Assist with audits, regulatory compliance initiatives, and reporting requirements.
- Advise managers and employees on employment regulations, benefits policies, and personnel procedures.
- Prepare reports and documentation related to leave administration, compliance, and workforce analysis.
Skills
- Strong knowledge of FMLA, ADA, PWFA, USERRA, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and multi-state leave regulations.
- Experience managing the ADA interactive process and workplace accommodations.
- Experience partnering with third-party leave administrators.
- Proficiency with Workday or a comparable Human Capital Management (HCM) system.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to manage highly confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
- Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel.
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities effectively.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of experience administering Leave of Absence, Disability, and ADA accommodation programs.
- Demonstrated experience managing workplace accommodations and the ADA interactive process.
- Experience working with a third-party leave administrator.
- Experience supporting a multi-state U.S. workforce preferred.
- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or Certified Leave Management Specialist (CLMS) certification preferred.
- Experience with Reliance Matrix/Reliance Standard Life Insurance or a similar leave administration provider preferred.
- Strong understanding of employment regulations, benefits administration, and HR compliance practices.
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