Benefits Specialist I (Leave Coordinator)

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Position Description:

The Benefits Specialist I Leave Coordinator in the Department of Human Resources is responsible for administering and coordinating employee leave programs in accordance with university policies, applicable federal and state regulations. This position serves as a primary resource for employees (faculty and staff), supervisors, Human Resources staff, and university leadership regarding leave eligibility, documentation, timelines, and return-to-work processes.

The Leave Coordinator ensures that employee leave requests are processed accurately, confidentially, and in a timely manner while maintaining appropriate records and supporting consistent application of university leave policies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Administers the University of Louisville's leave programs (vacation, sick, FML, temporary medical leave, personal) in compliance with university policies and applicable laws and regulations.

• Track leave balances, leave periods, required documentation, deadlines, and return-to-work dates.

• Determines employee eligibility, requests and obtains completed certification and re-certification, and provides required notices.

• Responds to employee questions and assist employees in completing and submitting required paperwork to begin the leave process.

• Provide required notices as required under FMLA outlining status or group benefit coverage, other rights and obligations and requirements to return to work.

• Communicate with employees and managers regarding leave designation and status.

• Works with other internal departments (e.g., payroll) to ensure accurate recordkeeping and payments to employees.

• Ensures accurate tracking and reconciliation of benefit premiums while communicating effectively with employees, the Benefit’s team, and direct bill provider.

• Respond to employee and supervisor questions and resolve routine leave-related issues.

• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee information and personnel records.

• Remain up to date on relevant laws, including FMLA, ADA, etc., and HIPAA and other privacy laws.

• Prepare and provide reports and data related to employee leave, trends, balances, and utilization to HR leadership.

• Recommend improvements to leave administration processes, procedures, forms, and communications.

• Acts as backup to the Benefits team by delivering timely assistance and guidance to employees on benefit-related matters.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications

• One year of experience in benefits, HRIS, and/or leave program administration and systems (i.e., Workday, PeopleSoft, etc.).

• Professional HR certification such as Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Certified Benefits Professional (CBP), SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP.

Competencies

• Proactive: anticipates and plans for problems before they arise.

• Service Excellence: responsive, informs constituents of process, pleasant to work with, educates and provides timely, accurate information.

• Organized: manages time effectively, keeps tasks appropriately prioritized.

• Critical Thinking: ability to think through issues and identify appropriate options.

• Work Ethic: motivated, diligent, industrious and persistent in the workplace, stays on tasks to completion, works at a fast pace to ensure optimal efficiency.

• Ability to perform all commonly applicable functions in the Microsoft Office 365 suite, effectively using it and other software applications to complete duties and responsibilities.

• Ability to work with confidential data.

• Dedication to customer service and seamless interdepartmental workflow, with a record of achieving/exceeding goals.

• Communication: Builds and maintains effective partnerships with employees, departments, and leadership to foster strong working relationships and collaborative partnerships.

• Flexible: ability to change directions as needed for the good of the department and/or university.

• Teamwork: ability to work with others, serve others, help others, lead others, mentor others, take directions from others in the interest of moving process and programs forward to the desired outcome.

Target Compensation Maximum:

Target Compensation Minimum:

Compensation will be commensurate to candidate experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Louisville is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. The University strives to provide equal employment opportunity on the basis of merit and without unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, marital status, or pregnancy. In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veteran Readjustment Act of 1974, the University prohibits job discrimination of individuals with disabilities, Vietnam era veterans, qualified special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans. The University acknowledges its obligations to ensure affirmative steps are taken to ensure equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. It is the policy of the University that no employee or applicant for employment be subject to unlawful discrimination in terms of recruitment, hiring, promotion, contract, contract renewal, tenure, compensation, benefits, and/or working conditions. No employee or applicant for employment is required to endorse or condemn a specific ideology, political viewpoint, or social viewpoint to be eligible for hiring, contract renewal, tenure, or promotion.

Consistent with applicable law, demographic information is collected for aggregate reporting requirements. Demographic information provided through this application is not available to hiring managers/committees and is not considered in hiring or employment decisions.

Assistance and Accommodations

Computers are available for application submission at the Human Resources Department located at 2315 South First Street Walk, Room 02C - Louisville, Kentucky 40292.

If you require assistance or accommodation with our online application process, please contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone 502-852-6258.