Benefits and Leave Specialist

Our client is seeking an experienced, detail-oriented Benefits & Leave Specialist to serve as the primary operational owner of its leave of absence program. This role partners closely with employees, managers, Payroll, Benefits, Legal, and a third-party leave platform to ensure leaves are administered accurately, consistently, and in accordance with federal, state, and company requirements. Fully remote Temp-to-perm $40–$42/hour Leave administration will account for approximately 20–25 hours of an average workweek and currently includes about 30 active cases at a time. The remaining capacity will support open enrollment, employee education, benefits communications, audits, reporting, HR systems, and other Benefits and HR initiatives. Key Responsibilities Manage leave cases from initial request through return-to-work and case closeout across a multi-state workforce. Administer FMLA, parental leave, STD/LTD, military leave, personal or unpaid leave, intermittent leave, and applicable state and local programs. Oversee cases managed through Cocoon, validate eligibility findings, identify documentation gaps or compliance concerns, and elevate complex situations appropriately. Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers regarding leave processes, status updates, documentation, and return-to-work requirements. Coordinate paid and unpaid leave components, including PPL, PTO, PSL, disability benefits, state-sponsored benefits, deductions, repayments, and payroll adjustments. Reconcile leave activity across Cocoon, Paycom, payroll, and internal records, including intermittent leave usage and related discrepancies. Maintain accurate, confidential leave records, trackers, employee files, HRIS transactions, and benefit-related qualifying life events. Prepare ADA and accommodation documentation under HR leadership oversight and coordinate materials for review when necessary. Support leave-related audits, reporting, SOPs, manager resources, employee guidance, and process improvements. Assist with open enrollment, employee benefits education, benefits communications, compliance audits, reporting, data validation, and other HR operational projects. Required Qualifications At least 3 years of hands-on leave of absence administration experience, including independently managing the internal administration of FMLA and other complex leave cases. Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, STD/LTD, paid parental leave, intermittent leave, return-to-work administration, and state-specific paid and unpaid leave programs. Experience administering leave for employees in multiple states and coordinating leave with Payroll, employee benefits, disability benefits, and state-sponsored programs. Ability to identify potential compliance concerns, documentation gaps, unusual circumstances, and matters requiring escalation. Strong case-management, organizational, communication, and documentation skills, with the ability to balance approximately 30 active cases and changing priorities. High level of discretion when handling confidential employee and medical information. Proficiency with HRIS systems, Microsoft Office, and Excel. Preferred Qualifications Experience with Cocoon or another third-party leave administration platform. Paycom experience and strong HR reporting or data-management skills. Experience supporting open enrollment, employee education, benefits communications, audits, and HR systems. Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. This role requires direct, hands-on ownership of the internal leave process. Candidates whose experience is primarily limited to referring employees to a fully outsourced leave vendor or monitoring vendor-managed cases may not have the depth of experience needed for this position. #J-18808-Ljbffr