Leave Specialist

Driven Brands Inc.; Clayton (NC); On-site; USD 79,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness benefits

Paid time off & holiday pay

myFlexPay wage access

Job summary

Driven Brands is seeking a Leave Specialist to administer and manage company-wide leave programs across the United States and Canada. You will handle disability leave, FMLA, and related regulations while ensuring compliance and confidentiality.

The role requires 5+ years of HR experience in centralized leaves, familiarity with ServiceNow and Workday, and strong communication skills to collaborate with HR, payroll, and legal teams. North Carolina location; remote options may vary.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of leave requirements and protections under FMLA, ADA, Canada Labour Code, ACA and other laws.
• 5+ years of HR experience managing centralized leaves and accommodations.
• Certification or training in FMLA/leave administration is a plus.
• Experience with a digital workflow case management system (ServiceNow preferred).
• Experience in geographically dispersed organizations with large employee populations.
• Experience with HRIS systems (Workday preferred).
• Excellent written and verbal communication, analytical and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with employees about leave needs and required documentation.
• Manage the leave process from notice to return to work, including FMLA designation and certifications.
• Maintain timely communication with employees and managers during leave.
• Advise on interactions between leave laws, PTO, workers’ comp, and disability benefits.
• Oversee return-to-work processes after extended or other leaves.
• Facilitate ADA/ACA accommodation requests and the interactive process.
• Draft or revise leave policies to ensure legal compliance.
• Keep complete records of leaves and accommodations per legal requirements.
• Preserve confidentiality of medical information.
• Stay current on applicable leave laws (FMLA, ADA, ACA, etc.).
• Collaborate with HR partners, managers, payroll and legal teams.
• Lead ADA and ACA accommodation efforts.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Leave management

FMLA/ADA knowledge

HR policy & compliance

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

HR certification in leave administration

Tools

ServiceNow Leave Management

Workday

HRIS

Job description

Company:Driven Brands

Driven Brands is North America's largest automotive services company with a portfolio of iconic brands including Take 5 Oil Change®, Meineke Car Care Centers®, Maaco®, 1-800-Radiator & A/C®, Auto Glass Now®, and CARSTAR®. Our vision is to fuel the pursuit with the simplest, most convenient, and most reliable car care experience.

Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Driven Brands is more than a workplace. We're a launchpad — for careers, for dreams, and for people driven to do great things.

Every day, we fuel the pursuit — for our customers chasing life's moments, for our franchisees building lasting legacies, and for each other as we grow, lead, and succeed together.

Performance matters. We take pride in it. We own it. We show up for one another and for our communities.

Because at Driven Brands, we're not just fixing cars. We're building futures, unlocking potential, and fueling what's possible — together.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Leave Specialist is responsible for administering and managing leave of absence programs, including but not limited to company-provided disability benefits (STD, LTD) as well as locally mandated programs across the United States and Canada, ensuring compliance with federal, state/provincial, and local regulations.

Typical responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

• Communicates with employees regarding their needs for leave and/or modified work schedules. Ensures that employees are aware of their responsibilities and of any documentation and notice required to qualify for and to take leave.
• Handles the leave administration process from the employees’ initial notice of the need for leave to the return to work. This includes gathering and completing all required paperwork, determining leave eligibility, designating leave as FMLA-qualifying, requesting medical certification as needed, and accounting for intermittent and reduced schedule leave use.
• Maintains reasonable communication with employees on leave to facilitate smooth and timely return to work; relays communication between employees and their managers during leave within reason.
• Advises managers and employees on the interaction of leave laws with paid time off, workers compensation, and short-term and long-term disability benefits.
• Oversees the return-to-work process for employees returning from extended FMLA, workers compensation, or other leave(s).
• Facilitates other leave requests, which may include accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ACA) or the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).
• Drafts and/or recommends revisions to company leave policies to ensure compliance with federal, state/provincial, and local laws and regulations.
• Maintains complete and accurate records of leave and accommodation requests in accordance with specified legal requirements and documentation of best practices.
• Preserves confidentiality of employee medical documentation and files.
• Maintains knowledge of all applicable leave and accommodation laws including but not limited to the FMLA, ADA, Canada Labour Code, ACA and state/provincial and local laws.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders including HR Business Partners, managers, payroll and legal teams to deliver timely, accurate and high-quality support.
• Lead all ADA and ACA accommodation requests by facilitating the interactive process with employees and managers.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of the leave requirements and other legal protections afforded by the FMLA, ADA, Canada Labour Code, ACA and other applicable laws.
• 5+ years of human resource experience managing centralized leaves and accommodations required.
• Completion of specialized certification or training on FMLA/leave administration a plus.
• Experience utilizing a digital workflow case management system to manage Leaves and Accommodations. ServiceNow Leave Management experience preferred
• Experience working in a geographically dispersed organization with an employee population of at least 5k employees.
• Experience with leave and absence tracking within an HRIS system. Workday experience preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

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#REMOTE

Position Location:

North Carolina

Compensation Range:

$79,200.00 - $141,500.00

Compensation Frequency:

Annual

Base pay offered may vary depending on actual location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Supplemental pay types may include commissions or bonus incentives, depending on the role. Driven Brands offers a variety of health and wellness benefits including paid time off and holiday pay. Details regarding our benefits can be found here:

Get early access to 50% of your earned wages at any time through our myFlexPay program.