Leave of Absence Specialist

About the Role The Leave of Absence Specialist provides expert, compliant, and empathetic administration of employee leave and workplace accommodation programs. This role partners closely with key stakeholders, including the third‑party disability vendor, People Business Partners, Health & Safety, People Operations, Labor Relations, and business leaders, to ensure consistent application of leave and accommodation practices. Main Responsibilities Serve as the primary point of contact for complex leave and accommodation cases, managing end-to-end administration with a strong emphasis on ADA interactive process execution. Partner with the Leave Manager and leave team to support and enhance leave and accommodations capabilities, including strengthening ADA interactive process consistency and contributing to best practices. Collaborate cross-functionally with third‑party disability vendor, People Business Partners, Health & Safety, People Operations, Labor Relations, and managers to ensure coordinated, compliant case management. Facilitate the ADA interactive process, including medical documentation review, accommodation assessments, and return‑to‑work planning, applying sound judgment to achieve compliant and practical outcomes. Advise employees and leaders on leave policies and the interaction of FMLA, disability, workers’ compensation, paid time off, and workplace accommodations. Maintain ongoing communication with employees on leave to support engagement and timely, successful return‑to‑work outcomes. Ensure leave and accommodation cases meet federal, state, and local regulatory requirements, maintaining accurate, complete, and audit‑ready documentation. Collaborate with the third-party administrator to ensure accurate adjudication, documentation, and data integrity. Identify trends and risks through reporting and analysis and provide insights to support continuous improvement efforts. Contribute to policy updates, process enhancements, and system optimization initiatives. Stay current on evolving leave and accommodation laws and support updates to ensure ongoing compliance. Maintain strict confidentiality of employee medical and personal information. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or a related field preferred; SHRM‑CP, SHRM‑SCP, or equivalent certification preferred. 5+ years of experience in leave, disability, and accommodations administration required. Demonstrated experience administering ADA accommodations and supporting the interactive process. Experience partnering with a third‑party disability vendor required. Strong working knowledge of FMLA, state and local leave laws, disability programs, and workplace accommodations. Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple stakeholders and navigate complex employee situations. High level of empathy, professionalism, and discretion, with the ability to balance employee needs and business considerations. Proactive, solution‑oriented approach with strong judgment and attention to detail. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving capabilities. Experience with UKG (UKG Pro/UltiPro) or similar HRIS platforms preferred. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; reporting and data analysis experience a plus. Specialized training or certification in leave administration and ADA compliance a plus. Experience with AbsenceSoft a plus. Compensation and Benefits Base salary range: $75,300 - $100,500. In addition to base salary, this role offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits. Equal Opportunity Employer Ferrero is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable human rights laws. Ferrero will recruit, hire, train, and promote all persons without regard to race, creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity), religion, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, or history of disability (except where physical or mental abilities are a bona fide occupational requirement and the individual is not able to perform the essential functions of the position even with reasonable accommodations), citizenship, or any other protected characteristic. Ferrero will accommodate the needs of applicants with disabilities throughout all stages of the selection process. If you need accommodation during the recruitment process, please advise the People & Organization (HR) Representative. #J-18808-Ljbffr