Senior Absence & ADA Compliance Lead

Columbia Bank; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Columbia Bank is seeking a Sr Absence Management Specialist to lead complex leave and accommodation casework in the Seattle/Tacoma area. You will serve as a senior expert across absence and accommodation programs, drive reporting, manage vendor partnerships, and shape compliance strategy to optimize processes.

The role partners with People Business Partners, Employee Relations, and senior leaders, handling the most sensitive cases and regulatory challenges while guiding enterprise-wide training

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge of federal and state disability and leave laws and regulations governing the workplace accommodation administration, specifically the ADAA A, FMLA and state paid leave plans required.
• Demonstrated consulting, advising, and influencing business leaders required.
• Demonstrated computer and technical skills including Microsoft Office Suite to include PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Excel, and SharePoint required.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication and strong interpersonal skills to effectively consult, advise, and communicate internally at all levels of the organization and externally with health care providers, vendors, and regulatory agencies required.
• Experience working independently, and as part of a team, establishing effective working relationships with colleagues both internal and externally required.
• Experience applying a high level of discretion and independent judgment, exercising confidentiality, and demonstrating respect and due diligence in sensitive situations required.
• Demonstrated organizational, time-management, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail required.
• Workday experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage complex leave cases and high-risk scenarios (intermittent/continuous leave patterns, attendance with performance issues, multi-state leave implications).
• Manage complex and high-risk leave and/or accommodation cases, including multi-layered ADA situations, fitness-for-duty, multi-state implications and undue hardship determinations.
• Work closely with a third-party administrator on daily case coordination, escalations, and data accuracy.
• Conduct full interactive processes with employees, managers, and healthcare providers.
• Interpret and apply regulatory requirements to novel or precedent-setting cases.
• Partner with Employee Relations and People Business Partners on sensitive issues, escalations, and recommendations that may result in corrective action, leave/accommodation denial, or job placement.
• Lead policy updates, regulatory research, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Own absence and/or accommodation program reporting and case documentation; analyze trends and develop insights for leaders.
• Evaluate vendor performance, recommend improvements, and support RFP or vendor transition processes.
• Partner with HRIS/People Analytics to optimize workflows, dashboards, automations, and accuracy.

Skills

Disability & leave laws

Consulting & influencing

Communication

Discretion & confidentiality

Organization & time management

Workday experience

Education

HS Diploma/GED

Bachelor’s degree in business or relevant field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

SharePoint

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Job description

Columbia Bank is seeking a Sr Absence Management Specialist to lead complex leave and accommodation casework in the Seattle/Tacoma area. You will serve as a senior expert across absence and accommodation programs, drive reporting, manage vendor partnerships, and shape compliance strategy to optimize processes.

The role partners with People Business Partners, Employee Relations, and senior leaders, handling the most sensitive cases and regulatory challenges while guiding enterprise-wide training