Leave of Absence Specialist

About Us

We are a global climate technologies company engineered for sustainability. We create sustainable and efficient residential, commercial and industrial spaces through HVACR technologies. We protect temperature-sensitive goods throughout the cold chain. And we bring comfort to people globally. Best-in-class engineering, design and manufacturing combined with category-leading brands in compression, controls, software and monitoring solutions result in next-generation climate technology that is built for the needs of the world ahead.?

Whether you are a professional looking for a career change, an undergraduate student exploring your first opportunity, or recent graduate with an advanced degree, we have opportunities that will allow you to innovate, be challenged and make an impact. Join our team and start your journey today!

If you are a BENEFITS professional looking for an opportunity to grow, Copeland has an exciting opportunity for you! As the Leave of Absence Specialist , you will play a critical role in optimizing our organization's total rewards by overseeing a complex portfolio of employee leave programs and ensuring a seamless, compliant, and compassionate experience during key life events. Reporting to the Manager of Global Health & Welfare , this role blends operational excellence, regulatory expertise, and cross-functional partnership to safeguard the organization's compliance while strengthening colleague trust and engagement.

As the Leave of Absence Specialist, YOU WILL:

• Serve as a subject-matter expert for all leave programs, ensuring policies, workflows, and communications reflect current legal requirements and organizational priorities.

• Coordinate with GBS Tier 1 teams on case management, process improvement, and escalations

• Act as a trusted partner for GBS Tier 1 support, leaders, and colleagues navigating medical, parental, military, and other leaves, delivering clear, empathetic communication that reduces friction and uncertainty.

• Monitor and interpret federal, state, and local leave laws (FMLA, ADA, state PFML, etc.), ensuring organizational compliance and escalating risk appropriately.

• Partner with GBS, HR Business Partners, Payroll, Legal, Employee Relations, and external vendors to ensure alignment across systems, pay practices, and operational processes.

• Partner with Employee Relations team on return-to-work processes, including accommodation pathways, transitional duty, and leader coaching.

• Produce actionable reporting on leave trends, compliance risks, and operational performance; identify opportunities to optimize program design and colleague experience.

• Manage leave vendor(s) to drive optimized service levels and colleague experience.

• Provide expert guidance to leaders and colleagues on policy interpretation, ensuring consistency and fairness across the organization.

WHO YOU ARE:

You evaluate pros and cons, risks and benefits of different solution options. You carefully consider all relevant factors and use appropriate decision-making criteria and principles. You seek ways to improve processes, from small tweaks to complete reengineering. You draw upon multiple relationships to exchange ideas, resources, and know-how. You effectively communicate in various settings: one-on-one, small and large groups, or among diverse styles and position levels.

LOCATION:

Ideally, this role will be based in St. Louis, MO or Sidney, OH. However, the role can be hybrid/flexible with candidates willing to travel on a regular basis to company locations.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills:

• Strong command of FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, state leave laws, and disability programs; ability to interpret and apply complex regulations.

• Ability to translate complex policies into clear, actionable guidance for employees and leaders.

• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret market data

• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities

• Outstanding organizational skills

• Ability to produce quality results in a highly matrixed, fast-paced environment

• Maintains composure and efficiency in stressful situations

• Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite

• Legal Authorization to work in the United States - sponsorship will not be provided for this role.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills:

• Five (5) years in leave administration, benefits operations, or HR compliance within a multi-state or enterprise environment

• Prior experience in a large global company

• Experience with Workday HCM and ServiceNow

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Master's degree preferred)

Our Commitment to Our People

Across the globe, we are united by a singular Purpose: Sustainability is no small ambition. That's why everything we do is geared toward a sustainable future-for our generation and all those to come. Through groundbreaking innovations, HVACR technology and cold chain solutions, we are reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency in spaces of all sizes, from residential to commercial to industrial.

Our employees are our greatest strength. We believe that our culture of passion, openness, and collaboration empowers us to work toward the same goal - to make the world a better place. We invest in the end-to-end development of our people, beginning at onboarding and through senior leadership, so they can thrive personally and professionally.

Flexible and competitive benefits plans offer the right options to meet your individual/family needs: medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) and more. We provide employees with flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave, vacation and holiday leave.?

Together, we have the opportunity - and the power - to continue to revolutionize the technology behind air conditioning, heating and refrigeration, and cultivate a better future. Learn more about us and how you can join our team!

Our Commitment to Inclusion & Belonging

At Copeland, we cultivate a strong sense of inclusion and belonging where individuals of all backgrounds, and with diverse perspectives, are embraced and treated fairly to enable a stronger workforce. Our employee resource groups play an important role in culture and community building at Copeland.

Work Authorization

Copeland will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1 with OPT or CPT, H-1, H-2, L-1, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Copeland is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to providing a workplace free of any discrimination or harassment.

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With $5B of global revenue, Copeland is a leading provider of compression products, electronics, software, and solutions across many applications within Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR), where macro and regulatory trends towards environmental sustainability, leads to changes in HVACR technology. Other products include other heating applications, food service and retail, transportation, and healthcare/life sciences. This new business also has a solution portfolio that manages, monitors, and controls refrigeration units in the commercial setting, as well as software solutions that measure and monitor temperature conditions of refrigerated goods in transit, where there is a greater emphasis on energy management/sustainability solutions globally.