Leave & Accommodations Specialist - People Operations

Sunstate Equipment Co.; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Sunstate Equipment Co. is seeking a People Operations Leave & Accommodations Specialist to own end-to-end leave, disability, and accommodation programs, ensuring a compliant and supportive experience from initial request to successful return to work.

The role collaborates with HR, Payroll, Legal, Benefits, and external vendors to manage cases, monitor SLAs, and drive continuous improvements across leave and accommodations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field.
• 4+ years in HR, leave administration, employee benefits, or People Operations.
• Experience managing leave programs, ada accommodations, or disability support.

Responsibilities

• Own the employee leave and accommodation experience from initial request through return to work.
• Serve as the primary internal point of contact for leave processes for employees and managers.
• Oversee all leave programs: FMLA, ADA accommodations, STD/ LTD, PFML, military, personal, state leaves.
• Coordinate interactive accommodation process with HR, Legal, Payroll, vendors (Lockton).
• Monitor vendor performance and drive continuous improvement in service delivery.
• Support employee experience and advocacy throughout life events requiring leave or accommodation.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and maintain confidential records.

Skills

Case management

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources

Job description

Position Summary

The People Operations Leave & Accommodations Specialist is responsible for the end-to-end ownership, oversight, and operational execution of the organization's leave of absence, disability, and accommodation programs. This role serves as the primary internal subject matter expert and trusted advisor to employees and managers, ensuring employees experience a seamless, compliant, and supportive leave process from initial request through successful return to work.

Unlike a traditional leave administrator, this role focuses on case ownership, vendor oversight, operational excellence, and employee experience outcomes. The Specialist partners closely with employees, managers, HR, Payroll, Legal, Benefits, and third-party administrators, including leave and disability vendors, to ensure timely case resolution, effective accommodation management, regulatory compliance, and high-quality service delivery.

This role is accountable for monitoring vendor performance, identifying process improvement opportunities, managing escalated and complex cases, and driving continuous improvement across leave, accommodation, and employee support programs.

Key Responsibilities

Leave & Accommodations Case Ownership

• Own the employee leave and accommodation experience from initial request through return to work.
• Serve as the primary internal point of contact for employees and managers navigating leave and accommodation processes.
• Oversee all leave programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Paid Family and Medical Leave, military leave, personal leave, and state-specific leave programs.
• Coordinate the interactive accommodation process and facilitate collaboration between employees, managers, HR, Legal, and third-party providers (Lockton).
• Ensure timely resolution of employee inquiries, concerns, and escalations.
• Facilitate successful return-to-work planning and accommodation implementation.
• Manage complex and sensitive leave cases requiring heightened coordination and problem solving.

Vendor Management & Operational Oversight

• Act as the primary liaison between the organization and third-party leave, disability, and accommodation vendors.
• Monitor vendor performance against established service level agreements (SLAs), turnaround times, and quality standards.
• Escalate service issues and drive resolution when vendor performance does not meet expectations.
• Conduct regular vendor reviews and identify opportunities to improve service delivery and employee experience.
• Ensure data accuracy and consistency between vendors, HRIS, payroll, and internal systems.
• Maintain accountability for overall case outcomes, regardless of whether administration is performed internally or through a third-party provider.
• Partner with Benefits, Payroll, and HR leadership to optimize leave administration processes and workflows.

Employee Experience & Advocacy

• Champion a positive, consistent, and empathetic employee experience throughout the leave and accommodation lifecycle.
• Educate employees and managers on leave programs, accommodations, benefits, and available resources.
• Develop employee-facing communications, guides, FAQs, and process documentation.
• Identify barriers and pain points impacting employees and implement solutions to improve satisfaction and service delivery.
• Proactively support employees through critical life events requiring leave or workplace accommodations.
• Ensure employees receive timely communication and understand their responsibilities and available support resources.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local leave and accommodation laws and regulations.
• Monitor legislative changes and recommend updates to policies, procedures, and practices.
• Maintain confidential employee records and documentation in accordance with legal and privacy requirements.
• Partner with Legal and HR leadership on complex compliance matters and high-risk cases.
• Support internal and external audits and compliance reviews.
• Minimize organizational risk through consistent policy application and documentation practices.

Reporting, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain reporting related to leave utilization, accommodation requests, disability claims, vendor performance, and employee experience metrics.
• Analyze trends and provide recommendations to improve operational effectiveness, reduce risk, and increase employee satisfaction.
• Monitor key performance indicators including:
• Case resolution times
• Return-to-work success rates
• Vendor SLA performance
• Escalation volume
• Employee satisfaction metrics
• Leave utilization trends
• Identify opportunities for automation, process simplification, and operational efficiency.
• Support system implementations, testing, and enhancement projects related to leave and accommodations.

Wellness & Benefits Partnership

• Support organizational wellness initiatives and employee well-being programs.
• Collaborate with Benefits, HR, and external partners to increase employee awareness and participation.
• Provide backup support for benefits and other administration activities as needed.
• Assist with annual enrollment activities, employee education, and benefit escalations.

Success Measures

• Employee satisfaction with the leave and accommodation process.
• Timely and accurate case resolution.
• Reduced employee escalations.
• Vendor SLA compliance and service quality.
• Return-to-work success rates.
• Compliance and audit readiness.
• Process improvement and operational efficiency gains.
• Accuracy of leave and accommodation data management.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 4+ years of Human Resources, Leave Administration, Employee Benefits, Employee Relations, or People Operations experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing leave of absence programs, ADA accommodations, disability programs, or related employee support services.
• Strong knowledge of FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, COBRA, state leave laws, disability programs, and applicable employment regulations.
• Experience working with third-party leave administrators, disability carriers, or benefits vendors.
• Strong case management, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms, Microsoft Office, and reporting tools.

Preferred

• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, CEBS, CLMS, or similar certification.
• Experience supporting multi-state leave and accommodation programs.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and service delivery.
• Experience with HR analytics, process improvement, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Benefits administration and wellness program experience.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• An employee advocate who balances empathy with compliance.
• Able to exercise sound judgment, identify risk, and elevate issues appropriately.
• A strong case manager who takes ownership through resolution.
• Comfortable managing complex leave and accommodation situations.
• Skilled at influencing vendors and holding partners accountable.
• Process and outcomes focused, not solely administrative.
• Analytical and data-driven with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Customer-focused and committed to delivering an exceptional employee experience.
• Effective at building partnerships across HR, Legal, Payroll, Operations, and external vendors.