Human Resources Specialist - Leave and Benefits

The Center School; Holyoke (MA); On-site; USD 62,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation time

Job summary

The Center School is seeking a Human Resources Specialist to manage employee leave and benefits operations on an onsite basis in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In this role, you will help administer day-to-day processes across multiple leave programs, support benefits enrollment, and ensure HR records and compliance documentation are maintained accurately for employees in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

You will coordinate leave cases, respond to agency and employee requests, and maintain systems that

Qualifications

• Associate degree in HR, business, or public administration; Bachelor’s preferred.
• At least 3 years of HR experience including leave and benefits.
• HRCI or SHRM certification strongly preferred.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Docs, and HRIS.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and track employee leaves across multiple programs.
• Support benefits enrollment and respond to portal questions.
• Maintain HR records and ensure compliance documentation.
• Prepare HR reports and assist with audits.
• Collaborate with internal teams on leave-related issues.

Skills

Leave management

Benefits administration

HR certification

Microsoft Office

Google Docs

HRIS

Confidentiality

Communication

Education

Associate degree in HR or related field

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Docs

HRIS

Job description

The Center School is seeking a Human Resources Specialist to manage employee leave and benefits operations on an onsite basis in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In this role, you will help administer day-to-day processes across multiple leave programs, support benefits enrollment, and ensure HR records and compliance documentation are maintained accurately for employees in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Role overview

Working under the guidance of the Associate Director of HR, you will coordinate and track leave of absence cases, respond to agency and employee requests, and maintain systems that support timely decisions and reporting. You will also support benefits administration, including enrollment workflows and ongoing employee support for benefits questions, while collaborating with internal teams to address leave-related complexity.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate and track employee leaves, including FMLA, CT FMLA, Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML), Connecticut Paid Leave, workers compensation, and other applicable leave programs, as guided by the Associate Director of HR.
• Respond in a timely manner to leave-related requests and documentation submitted by Massachusetts and Connecticut agencies.
• Advise employees on eligibility, provisions, and other matters related to leave of absence (LOA).
• Create and distribute employee eligibility and determination notices for all leave types, ensuring alignment with federal and state compliance requirements.
• Review medical documentation to evaluate requests and determine the approval period for family medical leave.
• Develop, implement, and maintain tracking systems to support efficient management of time, absences, and related processes, including Paid Leave intermittent tracking as requested by the HR team.
• Perform complex leave and pay-related calculations as needed.
• Collaborate with program managers and Workers Compensation on complex leave-related issues.
• Assist the Associate Director of HR with ADA accommodation requests and unemployment requests or claims.
• Serve as backup to the Workers Compensation coordinator.
• Assist with coordination of Employee Benefits, including creating and distributing enrollment instructions for newly eligible employees.
• Support employees with benefits portal questions or issues and maintain tracking systems to ensure timely enrollment.
• Develop and maintain vendor relationships to help support employees with benefits-related questions or concerns.
• Coordinate and manage enrollments for health and dental insurance, life and long term disability insurance, HealthEquity flex spending and HRA benefits, and Colonial Supplemental Insurance coverage.
• Audit enrollment and billing of employee benefits in coordination with AP, and process benefit enrollments and payroll-related documentation tied to leave management payments and benefits.
• Identify legal requirements and government reporting regulations affecting HR for benefits and leaves, prepare compliance information, and support periodic reporting to the Executive Team, senior management, and government agencies as needed.
• Prepare HR reports, workforce data, and personnel documentation to support audits, compliance reviews, and organizational reporting.
• Maintain accurate medical files and employee documentation in accordance with agency policies and applicable regulations.
• Maintain HR-related information including assembly of new hire files and coordination of follow-up efforts to ensure employee requirements are met at appropriate intervals.
• Maintain confidentiality of employee information and personnel records, protect employee and organizational interests per HR policies and applicable laws, and respond to HR emails and inquiries with consistent communication and appropriate coverage.
• Recommend HR policy, procedure, and practice improvements to support efficiency and engagement across the organization.
• Maintain professional certification as appropriate and participate in conferences, workshops, or other courses for professional development.
• Support special projects and administrative initiatives assigned by the CEO and Associate Director of HR.

Minimum qualifications

• Associate degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field; bachelor’s degree preferred.
• At least 3 years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including employee leave management and benefits administration.
• HRCI or SHRM certification strongly preferred.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), Google Docs, and HRIS or database systems.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.

Technologies

• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Google Docs
• HRIS and database systems

Compensation and location

Location: Holyoke, MA (onsite). Salary: USD 62,000 - 77,000 per year.

Benefits

• Excellent benefits package, including over four weeks of vacation time.

Background screening notice

Applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment will be subject to background screening through CORI, SORI, DCF, and SAFIS (Fingerprinting).