Accommodation Specialist

Unum; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 40,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vision

Dental

Short & Long-Term Disability

PTO including volunteering

401(k) employer contribution 9.5%

Mental health support

Career advancement opportunities

Student loan repayment options

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible work environments

Job summary

Unum is seeking a Specialist to deliver high-quality absence management solutions for key client partnerships in a dynamic, high-impact environment in Chattanooga, TN. The role requires navigating complex leave policies and maintaining trusted relationships with employers, employees and vendors.

You will manage daily absence operations, review medical documentation, and support program improvements while ensuring confidentiality and professional communication across internal teams and clients.

Qualifications

• Experience with disability management or leave administration.
• Knowledge of FMLA, ADA and state leave laws.
• Ability to navigate complex policies and communicate clearly.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with clients’ third-party administrators to integrate processes.
• Manage daily absence operations, including case management and compliance.
• Maintain records and communicate effectively with clients and internal partners.
• Identify and resolve process issues and escalate complex cases.
• Support program implementation and system updates.
• Provide SME on absence policies and best practices.
• Review medical certifications and determine leave status per policies.
• Coordinate communications between employer, employees, and internal units.
• Ensure proper documentation of all interactions and client modifications.
• Foster confidentiality and professionalism in all encounters.

Skills

Disability management

Leave management

Human Resources

FMLA

ADA

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

Job description

When you join the team at Unum, you become part of an organization committed to helping you thrive. Here, we work to provide the employee benefits and service solutions that enable employees at our client companies to thrive throughout life’s moments. And this starts with ensuring that every one of our team members enjoys opportunities to succeed both professionally and personally. To enable this, we provide:

• Health
• Vision
• Dental
• Short & Long-Term Disability
• Generous PTO (including paid time to volunteer!)
• Up to 9.5% 401(k) employer contribution
• Mental health support
• Career advancement opportunities
• Student loan repayment options
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible work environments

*All the benefits listed above are subject to the terms of their individual Plans.

With 10,000 employees helping more than 39 million people worldwide, every role at Unum is meaningful and impacts the lives of our customers. Whether you’re directly supporting a growing family, or developing online tools to help navigate a difficult loss, customers are counting on the combined talents of our entire team. Help us help others, and join Team Unum today!

General Summary

The Specialist serves as a key partner in delivering high-quality absence management solutions for key client partnerships, navigating complex regulatory and corporate leave policies, and fostering trusted relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. This role demands adaptability, and exceptional communication to integrate seamlessly with client teams, third-party administrators, and internal Unum partners. Specialists resolve operational challenges and drive positive outcomes for clients and their employees while actively supporting continuous improvement and professional growth in a dynamic, high-impact environment.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborate directly with clients’ third-party administrators to integrate processes, share information, and ensure seamless service delivery.
• Manage daily absence operations, including case management, documentation, and compliance.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure timely, effective communication with clients and internal partners.
• Identify and resolve process issues and escalate complex cases as appropriate.
• Support implementation of programs, assisting in process improvements and system updates.
• Provide subject matter expertise on absence policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Determine and generate appropriate communications to comply with FMLA, State regulations, customer procedures, and the client’s complex, evolving corporate leave policies.
• Review medical certifications and related documentation, and document the appropriate leave status under FMLA, state, and corporate policies, based on regulatory requirements, company-specific needs, and case details.
• Communicate medical or absence information with other internal units (STD, Intake, Leave, LTD, PFL).
• Manage leave through duration, reporting status to Employer, employee and other internal units.
• Adapt communication style and approach in order to build and maintain effective relationships with employer contacts—including HR administrators, payroll clerks, managers at all levels—as well as clients, colleagues, external partners, and legal or operational stakeholders; respond to accommodation and leave-related questions and issues while adapting communication style to diverse audiences.
• Address complex operational issues.
• Exhibit professionalism and confidentiality in all interactions.
• Manage interactions between employer representatives, employees, and attending physicians upon employer request, including obtaining required documentation, providing education about each party’s role in the process, and facilitating discussions to achieve agreement on support plans.
• Partner with appropriate Unum entities—including the Law Department, clinical and vocational resources, and disability/leave organizations—as well as client third-party administrators, to effectively deliver services.
• Track what modifications are provided by the customer and ensure proper documentation on all interactions and customers’ modification decisions.
• Review medical information to assess eligibility for worksite modifications, recommend appropriate accommodations, and partner with third-party administrators to support decisions.
• Identify potential accommodations for employees with medical conditions or functional limitations impacting job performance and determine when to recommend or coordinate independent medical evaluations.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Unum or as requested by our customer and approved by Unum.

Job Specifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent, relevant business experience
• 1 year disability management, leave management, workers compensation administration, clinical and/or vocational rehabilitation, disability case management, or human resources, preferred
• Demonstrates a basic understanding of FMLA, ADA, and state leave laws; applies established procedures to routine cases under guidance; seeks clarification on unfamiliar or complex situations.
• Resolves straightforward cases
• Demonstrates team player behaviors and participates in team tasks
• Identifies and resolves routine issues; follows established methods
• Works within defined protocols and meets prescribed deadlines
• Produces credible reports and documents on a range of related topics
• Ability to effectively participate in relatively ambiguous work situations; seeks guidance as needed
• Exercises sensitivity, encouragement, and discretion with customer’s employees to encourage return to work (RTW) or stay at work
• Works cooperatively with employers and vendors on routine RTW plans for employees
• Proficient use of standard tools for tracking, documenting and/or diary systems
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability seeks opportunities for skill development.
• * Existing internal remote employees are eligible to apply.

Company Overview

Unum and Colonial Life are part of Unum Group, a Fortune 500 company and leading provider of employee benefits to companies worldwide. Headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, with international offices in Ireland, Poland and the UK, Unum also has significant operations in Portland, ME, and Baton Rouge, LA - plus over 35 US field offices. Colonial Life is headquartered in Columbia, SC, with over 40 field offices nationwide.

Unum is an equal opportunity employer, considering all qualified applicants and employees for hiring, placement, and advancement, without regard to a person's race, color, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, military status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or protected veteran status.

The base salary range for applicants for this position is listed below. Unless actual salary is indicated above in the job description, actual pay will be based on skill, geographical location and experience. $40,000.00-$75,600.00

Additionally, Unum offers a portfolio of benefits and rewards that are competitive and comprehensive including healthcare benefits (health, vision, dental), insurance benefits (short & long-term disability), performance-based incentive plans, paid time off, and a 401(k) retirement plan with an employer match up to 5% and an additional 4.5% contribution whether you contribute to the plan or not. All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of individual Plans.

Company: Unum

Contact and Accessibility

Unum Group is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations for any applicant with a disability.