Total Absence Management Analyst I

City of Norfolk, VA; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Life insurance

Medical and dental insurance

Parking

Tuition assistance

Job summary

City of Norfolk, VA seeks an experienced Disability and Absence Management Program Manager to administer workers’ compensation and absence programs. You will ensure compliance with ADA, FMLA, and related laws, coordinate FMLA claims, and oversee vendor relations and data reporting.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree and 1–2+ years in HR with focus on absence management and disability; strong analytical and communication skills are essential, as is proficiency with PeopleSoft and Microsoft

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a professional field.
• One year of HR experience; two years with focus on absence management and disability preferred.
• Knowledge of ADA, FMLA, workers’ compensation, and related laws.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Ensure program compliance with ADA, FMLA, and related laws.
• Manage the City’s Workers’ Compensation self-funded program.
• Coordinate ADA accommodation requests and document decisions.
• Support absence management and return‑to‑work initiatives.

Skills

Disability management

Absence management

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

PeopleSoft

Job description

Location

Work Location: 800 East City Hall Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510

Work Schedule

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (40 hours)

Salary Range

Departmental Hiring Salary Range: $59,745-$68,559

Essential Functions

• Ensure program compliance with all pertinent government regulations including:
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
  • Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA),
  • State of Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act
  • Pregnant Workers’ Fairness Act
  • PUMP Act
  • Norfolk City Code
• Manage the City’s Workers’ Compensation self-funded program including accessing the Workers' Compensation carrier system, verifying claim information, reviewing notes and communication with adjusters, ensuring that all required regulatory filings are completed in a timely and accurate manner and ensuring that robust vendor management accountability is monitored and pursued.
• Manage ADA requests through an interactive process between departments and employees and ensure that all decision making is well documented and made in accordance with ADA regulations and accommodation protocols. Identify, review, and recommend specific actions in cases involving ADA accommodation requests.
• Facilitate efficient program administration and best practices related to absence management and return to work. Serves in a consultancy role in the design and development of new program features and industry standard solutions to enhance absence management program services and performance.
• Participate in keeping updated all Safety and Total Absence Management programs, policies, and procedures on the city intranet, TeamNorfolk.org
• Represent the City during grievance hearings, accident review hearings, administrative hearings, case review meetings and other highly visible meetings as needed.
• Identify strategies and resources to facilitate the best response for disability issues. Facilitate discussion and problem solving with internal and external clients for resolution to ensure disability leaves are effectively managed through the entire process.
• Become proficient in utilizing the PeopleSoft system to verify employment, salaries and personal employee information.
• Coordinate FMLA claims for City employees including reviewing completed forms, obtaining clarification of information as necessary, and ensuring that designations are in compliance with FMLA, clearly tracked, documented, and communicated to employees and departments.
• Schedule and coordinate fitness for duty appointments as appropriate.
• Coordinate the various City and VLDP short-term disability, long term disability and sick leave bank policies and programs. Manage the vendors for accurate and thorough claims administration and excellent customer service.
• Develop presentations and trainings to communicate absence, safety, and disability management programs and provide guidance to internal and external customers.
• Manage disability cases through a variety of policies and procedures specific to both occupational and non-occupational disability.
• Work in partnership with Manager, Office of City Attorney, Recruiting, and Employee Relations to deliver, monitor and coordinate Job Action Letters (JAL) issued in accordance with FMLA, ADA, City policies, and ordinances. Serve as the JAL central point of contact for both departments and employees.
• Provide technical reports and statistical analysis of data. Adhere to division protocols for documenting activity on department tracking methodologies.
• Conduct quality assurance and audit control activities across all safety, leave and disability service lines to ensure program and regulatory compliance.

Education and Experience

Work requires broad knowledge in a general professional or technical field. Knowledge is normally acquired through four years of college resulting in a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

One year of experience in Human Resources; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

A minimum of two years experience in Human Resources with a focus on absence management and disability; or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.

Desirable Qualifications and Core Competencies

• Experience in Human Resources with a focus on total absence management, disability, and workers’ compensation administration
• Clear understanding of STD/LTD, FMLA, ADA, workers’ compensation, compliance and processing, workplace absence policies and management.
• Strong analytical skills, sense of ownership and appreciation for the need for confidentiality.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; basic (or better) accounting skills; skills in developing policies and procedures
• Strong experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).
• Experience creating and working with spreadsheets and reports.

DISABILITY MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Demonstrated experience delivering disability and absence management initiatives. Experience ensuring program compliance with all government regulations, including ADA, Workers' Compensation, FMLA, Drug Free Workplace, and other pertinent employment laws and procedures.

COMMUNICATION

Outstanding skills in both spoken and written communications including the use of excellent grammar. Demonstrated ability to develop presentations and to engage in active listening. Excellent skills at engaging audiences, explaining complex processes, and demonstrating communication skills.

COLLABORATION

Demonstrated ability to work effectively with others, establish and maintain strong working relationships throughout the organization and within in the team. Ability to communicate, consult, gather perspectives, and understand the viewpoints of others while influencing win-win solutions and forward-thinking initiatives for the organization.

CRITICAL THINKING

Demonstrated ability to interpret data, develop conclusions, and develop and implement action plans that resolve issues. Experience in solving complex long term occupational and non-occupational leave matters and developing effective solutions.

Benefits

• Regular full-time and permanent part-time employees may receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, employer paid pension plan, basic life insurance, voluntary participation in medical and dental, Section 457 deferred compensation, long-term disability, optional life insurance for self, spouse and children, medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, access to membership in credit union and employer provided parking.
• Special project/grant employees are generally eligible for the same benefits of regular full-time employees; however, retirement, life insurance and participation in health plans vary depending on funding and authorization.
• Temporary/seasonal and part-time employees are generally only eligible for employer provided parking and access to membership in credit union.
• Retirement

If you are hired October 5, 2010, or after to a position with City of Norfolk Retirement System benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

If you are hired January 1, 2022, or after to a position with Virginia Retirement System (VRS) benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

• The Tuition Assistance Program is established to encourage employees toward continued self-development and education. Permanent full-time and permanent part-time classified, unclassified permanent, full-time special projects, and constitutional employees who have completed six months continuous service will be eligible to apply. The applicant’s school of enrollment must be an accredited institution.

The benefits described above are broad generalizations. The specific benefits that an employee may be eligible for are governed by City regulations, as applicable to job type.

Non-City