Leave Specialist

Job Title Manager, Employee Leave & ADA Accommodations Support Division Corporate Location Tampa, Florida Reports To Director, Employee Support / HR Operations Direct Reports Sr Specialist(s) & Specialist(s), Employee Leave & ADA Accommodations Support Who We Are For more than a century, L'Oréal has devoted its energy, innovation, and scientific excellence solely to one business: Beauty. Our goal is to offer each and every person around the world the best of beauty in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility to satisfy all beauty needs and desires in their infinite diversity. What You Will Do The Manager, Employee Leave & ADA Accommodations Support leads a team of HR specialists dedicated to delivering customer service excellence across all aspects of employee leave administration and ADA reasonable accommodations. This role serves as the primary subject matter expert and people leader for the Leave and ADA Support function, partnering closely with Human Resources, Payroll, Legal, and third‑party vendors to ensure a seamless, compliant, and employee‑centric experience for the L'ORÉAL USA and SalonCentric employee population. Lead, coach, and develop a team of Sr Specialists and Specialists within the Employee Leave & ADA Accommodations Support function. Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular 1:1s, and deliver formal performance reviews. Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and employee‑first service delivery. Identify training needs and develop upskilling plans for team members across leave programs, ADA accommodations processes, systems, and procedures. Manage workload distribution across the team to ensure balanced capacity and service level adherence across both Leave and ADA functions. Serve as the first point of escalation for team members on complex, sensitive, or ambiguous leave and/or accommodations cases. Leave Program Management Oversee the administration of all leave programs for the L'ORÉAL USA and SalonCentric employee population, including: Short‑Term Disability (STD) Manage end‑to‑end oversight of the STD program in partnership with the leave management vendor. Ensure timely reconciliation of vendor leave reports against One Profile system status. Monitor team adherence to STD processes and ensure consistent employee communications. Long‑Term Disability (LTD) Provide strategic oversight of the LTD program, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and employee experience. Lead the reconciliation of vendor leave reports against One Profile for all LTD cases. Waiver of Premium Management: Oversee the waiver of premium process, ensuring the team accurately analyzes employee wage data and calculates the correct wage base so that life insurance claims are processed with the correct benefit amounts. Death Claim Processing: Direct the death claim process for employees on LTD, ensuring coordination across vendors, benefits, HR, and payroll is handled with accuracy, sensitivity, and timeliness. Escalation Management: Serve as the senior point of escalation for complex LTD cases, working cross‑functionally to drive resolution while maintaining compliance and employee advocacy. Additional Leave Programs Workers' Compensation FMLA Military Leaves ADA Reasonable Accommodations Management Lead and oversee the end‑to‑end ADA reasonable accommodations review process for the L'ORÉAL USA and SalonCentric employee population. Ensure the interactive process is consistently followed in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state laws, partnering closely with HR Business Partners, Legal, and business leaders. Guide the team in reviewing accommodation requests, gathering appropriate medical documentation, evaluating the nature of the request, and determining reasonable accommodation options in alignment with company policy. Oversee the documentation and tracking of all accommodation cases to ensure timely resolution, proper record‑keeping, and audit readiness. Partner with HR and business leaders to identify creative and practical accommodation solutions that support employee productivity while meeting legal obligations. Manage and resolve escalated or complex accommodation cases, including those involving potential undue hardship determinations, alternative accommodation options, or intersection with leave programs. Ensure the team is well‑versed in identifying situations where ADA accommodations and leave programs intersect (e.g., FMLA, STD, LTD) and guide appropriate concurrent administration. Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of ADA regulations, EEOC guidance, and state‑specific disability accommodation requirements to ensure ongoing compliance. Develop and deliver training and guidance to HR and management on the ADA interactive process, reasonable accommodations, and related compliance obligations. Serve as the primary relationship owner with the Leave Management vendor, holding regular cadence meetings to review performance, resolve escalations, and drive continuous improvement. Partner with Legal, Benefits, Payroll, and HR Business Partners on complex leave and ADA accommodation scenarios, policy interpretation, and compliance matters. Represent the Leave & ADA Support function in cross‑functional projects, system implementations, and HR initiatives. Policy, Compliance & Process Improvement Ensure all leave and ADA accommodation processes comply with applicable federal and state regulations (FMLA, ADA, state leave laws, etc.). Maintain and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process documentation for both the Leave and ADA functions. Proactively identify process gaps and lead continuous improvement initiatives to drive efficiency, accuracy, and compliance. Serve as a subject matter expert on leave and ADA policy questions, escalated compliance matters, and policy acknowledgment processes. What We Are Looking For Required Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. 5+ years of progressive experience in HR Operations, Leave Administration, ADA Accommodations, or a related Shared Services environment. 2+ years of people management experience, with a demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and inspire a team. Deep knowledge of leave programs including STD, LTD, FMLA, Workers' Compensation, and Parental Leave. Working knowledge of the ADA interactive process, reasonable accommodations administration, and related federal and state compliance requirements. Proven experience managing vendor relationships and holding third parties accountable to SLAs and performance standards. Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify discrepancies, and drive data‑driven decisions. Experience with waiver of premium processes and/or life insurance wage base calculations is strongly preferred. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills. Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential employee matters with discretion and empathy. Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment. Physical requirements: primarily sedentary role requiring extended periods of sitting; in‑office presence required per hybrid policy. Preferred Qualifications Experience with SAP, SuccessFactors, ServiceNow, or similar HRIS/case management platforms. Prior experience in a large, matrixed, or global organization. Familiarity with death claim processing and LTD insurance benefit administration. Experience managing concurrent Leave and ADA accommodation cases. Advanced degree (MBA, MS in HR, or related field). Relevant certifications: PHR, SPHR, SHRM‑CP, SHRM‑SCP, or CEBS. What's In It For You Competitive Salary (commensurate with experience) Hybrid Work Policy (3 Days in Office, 2 Days Work from Home) Flexible Time Off (Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Vacation Buy Program, Volunteer Time, Summer Fridays & More) Access to Company Perks (VIP Access to L'Oréal's Internal Shop for Discounted Products, Monthly Mobile Allowance) Learning & Development Opportunities (Unlimited Access to E‑learning, Lunch & Learn Sessions, Mentorship Programs & More) Employee Resource Groups (Think Tanks and Innovation Squads) Access to Mental Health & Wellness Programs Equal Opportunity Employer We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or disability, or any other legally protected status. 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