Senior Benefits Specialist - Leaves Administrator

Overview

The Senior Benefits Specialist - Leaves Administrator, oversees the organization’s leave of absence programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations while maintaining a seamless employee experience. This role involves managing end-to-end leave processes, acting as a subject matter expert on leave policies, and partnering with HR and management to handle complex leave cases. The Senior Leaves Administrator provides strategic insights to enhance leave administration processes and ensures alignment with organizational goals. The Senior Leaves Administrator will also support the Senior Benefits Analyst on general day-to-day health and welfare benefits plan administration tasks as needed.  Strong understanding of California benefit related regulations is required.

This is a full time, exempt, benefit eligible, remote position based out of Berkeley, CA.

LifeLong Medical Care is a multi-site, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with a rich history of providing innovative healthcare and social services to a wonderfully diverse patient community. Our patient-centered health home is a dynamic place to work, practice, and grow. We have over 15 primary care health centers and deliver integrated services including psychosocial, referrals, chronic disease management, dental, health education, home visits, and much, much more. LifeLong Medical Care is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, medical condition, or any other protected classification.

Benefits

Compensation: $85,000 - 110,000/year. We offer excellent benefits including: medical, dental, vision (including dependent and domestic partner coverage), generous leave benefits including nine paid holidays, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) retirement savings plan.

COVID-19 Vaccine Policy

In accordance with LifeLong Medical Care's commitment to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, we have adopted a Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccine Policy to safeguard the health of our employees and their families; our patients and visitors; and the community at large from infectious diseases, that vaccinations may reduce. This policy will comply with all applicable laws and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Order of the California State Public Health Officer. Unless a reasonable medical or religious accommodation is approved, all employees must receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

Responsibilities

• Administer all leave of absence programs, including FMLA, ADA, state-specific leaves, parental leave, personal leave, and short-term/long-term disability.
• Manage the leave process from request to return-to-work, ensuring timely and accurate documentation and compliance.
• Coordinate with payroll to ensure accurate leave pay and deductions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including FMLA, ADA, CFRA, and state-specific paid leave laws
• Maintain and update leave policies and procedures in line with regulatory changes.
• Conduct audits to ensure accurate and compliant leave records.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employees regarding leave policies, eligibility, and processes.
• Provide guidance to employees and managers on complex leave cases and accommodations.
• Develop and deliver clear communication materials and training sessions on leave programs.
• Manage and resolve complex leave cases, including ADA accommodations and return-to-work transitions.
• Collaborate with legal, HR business partners, and managers to handle sensitive leave situations.
• Track and monitor leave metrics and trends to identify areas for improvement.
• Liaise with third-party leave administrators and insurance providers to ensure efficient case handling.
• Resolve issues and escalate cases as necessary to ensure a high level of service.
• Evaluate current leave administration processes and recommend enhancements to improve efficiency and employee satisfaction.
• Implement tools and systems to streamline leave tracking and reporting.
• Partner with HRIS teams to ensure accurate leave data integration and reporting capabilities
• Support the Senior Benefits Analyst on general day-to-day health and welfare benefits plan administration tasks as needed
• Provides general benefits support for annual Open Enrollment  

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of benefits laws and regulations, including ACA, ERISA, COBRA, and HIPAA.
• Advanced proficiency in HRIS and benefits administration systems (e.g., Paycom, ADP, Workday).
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to explain complex information clearly.
• High level of integrity and ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5 - 7+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration, including at least 2 years in a senior specialist level role.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a federally qualified health center.
• Familiarity with union and non-union benefits programs.