Leave of Absence Specialist

Confidential; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential seeks an LOA Specialist to administer employee leave, disability, accommodation, and tuition reimbursement programs while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role partners with HR, Payroll, Benefits, and vendors throughout the lifecycle.

The ideal candidate is highly organized and customer-focused, driving continuous improvement through reporting, process optimization, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in HR, Business Admin, or related field.
• 4–6 years of LOA, Disability, Benefits, or HR experience.
• Experience administering multi-state leave programs and working with third‑party administrators preferred.

Responsibilities

• Administer the full lifecycle of employee leave programs including FMLA, STD, LTD, Paid Parental Leave, Personal Leave, Military Leave (USERRA), and state/local paid leave programs.
• Coordinate leave eligibility, approvals, extensions, intermittent leave, recertifications, and return-to-work activities.
• Maintain accurate case documentation and coordinate with employees, managers, HR, Payroll, Benefits, and third-party administrators.
• Manage and respond to all inquiries received through the LOA shared mailbox.
• Coordinate life insurance claim processing, including employee and beneficiary support, follow-up documentation, and coordination with internal stakeholders and carriers, as needed.
• Coordinate the ADA interactive process and reasonable accommodations.
• Partner with HR, Legal, managers, and vendors to implement accommodations and return-to-work plans.
• Administer the organization’s Tuition Reimbursement Program.
• Review eligibility, coordinate approvals, process reimbursements, respond to employee inquiries, and maintain program reporting.
• Coordinate leave-related payroll, benefit deductions, arrears, and return-to-work processing.
• Coordinate Workers’ Compensation cases when appropriate.
• Review all LOA reporting to ensure leaves are captured correctly with the 401k vendor.
• Manage relationships with third-party leave administrators.
• Monitor service levels, reconcile data, and resolve complex issues.
• Ensure compliance with FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, PWFA, USERRA, HIPAA, applicable state leave laws, and company policies.
• Support audits and maintain required documentation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor throughout the leave process.
• Educate employees and managers while providing confidential, customer-focused support.
• Prepare leave, accommodation, tuition reimbursement, and vendor performance reporting.
• Develop SOPs, identify automation opportunities, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

FMLA knowledge

ADA/ADAAA knowledge

USERRA knowledge

HIPAA knowledge

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred in HR or related field

Tools

SAP SuccessFactors

UKG

Workday

Job description

The Leave of Absence (LOA) Specialist is responsible for administering employee leave, disability, accommodation, and tuition reimbursement programs while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role serves as a trusted resource for employees, managers, HR, Payroll, Benefits, and third-party vendors throughout the leave lifecycle.

Success in this role requires delivering exceptional employee experience, building strong cross‑functional partnerships, and ensuring the compliant administration of leave and accommodation programs. The ideal candidate is highly organized, customer‑focused, and skilled at driving continuous improvement through reporting, process optimization, and operational excellence.

Job Responsibilities

Leave of Absence Administration

• Administer the full lifecycle of employee leave programs including FMLA, STD, LTD, Paid Parental Leave, Personal Leave, Military Leave (USERRA), and state/local paid leave programs.
• Coordinate leave eligibility, approvals, extensions, intermittent leave, recertifications, and return‑to‑work activities.
• Maintain accurate case documentation and coordinate with employees, managers, HR, Payroll, Benefits, and third‑party administrators.
• Manage and respond to all inquiries received through the LOA shared mailbox.
• Coordinate life insurance claim processing, including employee and beneficiary support, follow‑up documentation, and coordination with internal stakeholders and carriers, as needed.

ADA & Workplace Accommodations

• Coordinate the ADA interactive process and reasonable accommodations.
• Partner with HR, Legal, managers, and vendors to implement accommodations and return‑to‑work plans.

Tuition Reimbursement Administration

• Administer the organization’s Tuition Reimbursement Program.
• Review eligibility, coordinate approvals, process reimbursements, respond to employee inquiries, and maintain program reporting.

Payroll & Benefits Coordination

• Coordinate leave‑related payroll, benefit deductions, arrears, and return‑to‑work processing.
• Coordinate Workers’ Compensation cases when appropriate.
• Review all LOA reporting to ensure leaves are captured correctly with the 401k vendor.
• Manage relationships with third‑party leave administrators.
• Monitor service levels, reconcile data, and resolve complex issues.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, PWFA, USERRA, HIPAA, applicable state leave laws, and company policies.
• Support audits and maintain required documentation.

Employee Experience

• Serve as a trusted advisor throughout the leave process.
• Educate employees and managers while providing confidential, customer‑focused support.
• Prepare leave, accommodation, tuition reimbursement, and vendor performance reporting.
• Develop SOPs, identify automation opportunities, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Job Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 4–6 years of Leave of Absence, Disability, Benefits, or Human Resources experience.
• Experience administering multi‑state leave programs and working with third‑party administrators preferred.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, PWFA, USERRA, HIPAA, disability administration, and state leave laws.
• Strong organizational, analytical, communication, customer service, and case management skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information with discretion.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel.
• Experience with SAP SuccessFactors, UKG, Workday, or similar HRIS and leave management systems.