Leave Administration Specialist

Overview

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

The Leave Administration Specialist is a non-exempt, entry-level role supporting the day-to-day operations of the leave administration program by processing and coordinating employee leave requests and ADA intake activities in accordance with university policy and applicable laws. The Specialist performs tasks under the direct daily task supervision and guidance of a Sr. Consultant, who serves as a mentor. This role manages incoming requests and documentation, maintains tracking tools, and ensures timely routing and follow-up. All complex issues, escalations, and strategic guidance are handled by the Sr. Consultant or higher-level staff. This role is an exciting opportunity for someone interested in learning more about Leave Management in a high-volume setting.

Corporate Overview: University of Utah Health is an integrated academic healthcare system with five hospitals including a level 1 trauma center, eleven community health centers, over 1,600 providers, and a health plan serving over 200,000 members. University of Utah Health is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. In addition to our clinical delivery system, we have a School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Health providing education and training for over 1,250 providers annually. We have over 2 million patient visits annually and research grants exceeding $350 million. University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics represents our clinical operations for the larger health system.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• May be asked to process initial leave requests: intake, validate basic eligibility criteria, create case records, and route to the Sr. Consultant when escalations or complex issues arise, following established protocols and under supervision.
• May be asked to process maternity/parental leave cases: collect and verify documentation, update leave calendars, coordinate standard notifications, and monitor timelines for approvals and returns, with oversight from the Sr. Consultant.
• May be asked to process non-medical leaves (e.g., personal, educational): ensure forms are complete, track status, and communicate routine next steps to employees and managers, escalating non-routine issues.
• May be asked to process military leave: capture orders, set up leave records, coordinate standard pay/benefit continuations with Benefits, and maintain required documentation, Electronic Personnel Action Forms (EPAFs), and Return from Leaves (RFLs) as directed by the Sr. Consultant.
• Late tracking sheets: maintain, check accuracy, and distribute late tracking logs for the leave administration team, with regular review by the Sr. Consultant.
• Inbox management: monitor and manage the Return-to-Work inbox, fax queue, and ADA inbox; triage messages, attach documents to cases, and route items to the Sr. Consultant for decisions or accommodations guidance.
• Manages inboxes for leave consultants when out of office.
• ADA operations support: process ADA initials (intake), review parking, and equipment requests under ADA/PWFA, and coordinate logistics after approval, under Sr. Consultant direction.
• Case documentation & data integrity: maintain accurate records, case notes, and file retention consistent with policy; run routine reports for the team and correct basic data discrepancies, with oversight from the Sr. Consultant.
• Benefits coordination (routine): for unpaid absences and continuation of health insurance, complete standard notifications, and handoffs to the Benefits office, as directed.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the Sr. Consultant on handoffs, timelines, and follow-up; support training materials and job aids for common processes (non-advisory content).
• Other Duties as Assigned: perform other operational and administrative duties to support the leave administration team, as directed by the Sr. Consultant or higher-level staff.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Ability to perform operational tasks with attention to detail and accuracy, following established protocols and under supervision.

• Strong organizational skills; ability to prioritize multiple cases and deadlines in a high-volume environment, with guidance from the Sr. Consultant.

• Basic working knowledge of employment-related leave concepts (e.g., FMLA, ADA, PWFA) sufficient for intake, documentation, and routing; all complex interpretation and judgment handled by the Sr. Consultant or higher-level staff.

• Confidentiality and discretion with sensitive employee information.

• Effective written and verbal communication; customer-service orientation when interacting with employees and managers.

• Proficiency with case management systems, shared inboxes, and spreadsheet tracking tools.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalency.
• Two years of experience in HR operations, leave administration support, benefits coordination, or related administrative work.

Qualifications (Preferred)

Preferred

• Exposure to FMLA/ADA/PWFA intake processes; experience managing shared inboxes and tracking sheets.
• HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP or aPHR) is a plus.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• Sedentary position; may exert up to 10 pounds and may lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Mostly sitting; not exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Physical Requirements

Far Vision, Listening, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Sitting, Speaking, Standing