Leave Specialist

R Leave Specialist (Open) Location: Kennesaw, GA (SAF) - Management - South BSC How will you CONTRIBUTE and GROW? The Occupational Leave Specialist is responsible for managing all associate leaves of absence as well as providing subject matter expertise (SME)of the Company Health & Welfare plans, for the South Division of Airgas. This includes administering all Family and Medical Leave Act leaves of absences, military leave, other statutory leave entitlements, leaves of absence detailed in collective bargaining agreements, and all leaves of absence approved as part of an Airgas policy (e.g., bereavement leave). Compliance responsibilities include, but are not limited to, determining when to run FMLA leave concurrently with absences caused by a workplace injury or illness (workers compensation), administering extended medical leaves of absence under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and ensuring compliance with all related terms and requirements of Airgas' collective bargaining agreements. This position will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the plans and processes are administered and coordinated with the proper handoffs, and tracked, measured, and monitored for continuous improvement and compliance. Serves as the subject matter expert for all leave of absence statutory entitlements, leaves of absence policies (including when to administer FMLA leave concurrently with a workers compensation claim), and leave of absence requirements contained in Airgas bargaining agreements, and benefit program that intersect with the administration of leaves of absence (e.g., short term disability) in alignment and under the general direction and guidance of HR leadership and the legal and labor department. Interprets and administers leave programs and policies in accordance with the applicable federal and state employment laws (FMLA, ADA, USERRA, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, etc.) and applicable collective bargaining agreements. Ensures that the workers' compensation program is managed consistently with the FMLA leave program while maintaining compliance with applicable OSHA and workers' compensation laws. Administers all aspects of leave and workers' compensation programs. Provides extensive case management and coordinates administrative aspects of the cases and claims. Conducts/coordinates investigations into all reported workers' compensation claims. Independently approves and/or denies leave cases based on relevant medical information. Coordinates and organizes all medical information and ensures that HIPAA and Employee Privacy guidelines are closely monitored and effectively executed. Ensures that all reportable workers' compensation claims are submitted to the company's vendor within 48 business hours from the date of the incident. Maintains and reports out KPIs and SLAs on a monthly basis, taking actions to improve performance (lost time, duration of LOAs, validation of applications, etc.) Demonstrate expert level knowledge of HR programs, policies, benefit plans, in order to quickly resolve issues or concerns Manages all administrative aspects of leave and workers' compensation claims to include tracking hours used/taken and working closely with HR to ensure that myHR is updated and accurate. Responsible for partnering with the field HR, safety, ER&C, Labor team, and third party administrators (TPA) (where applicable) in the handling of all aspects of day to day leave administration, ensuring that all Service Level Agreements (SLA) are met by utilizing effective communication, customer service, and management skills along with efficient, timely and accurate guidance and delivery. Works closely with associates to ensure that all relevant completed medical documentation is submitted for timely review. Maintains appropriate contact with all associates on leave and coordinates all aspects of return to work for associates on leave. Conducts Tier I investigations of alleged fraudulent activity of all leave cases and workers' compensation claims. Works closely with the appropriate internal resources to identify, research and resolve matters. Define and administer all metrics and reports to be used for process and procedural enhancements, system enhancements, analytics, claims management, and customer satisfaction May conduct follow-up inquiries regarding incidents, interviews relevant parties and coordinates medical treatment/care as needed. Partners closely with all HR business partners, Managers, and safety, where applicable, on all leave cases and workers' compensation claims. Meets regularly with HRBPs to review claims' status and develops strategies for resolution. Manages STD/LTD programs and vendor relationships. Ensures that STD claims are coordinated with FMLA or general medical cases. Partners closely with HRBPs on all related cases/claims. Meets regularly to review the status of cases/claims and develops legally sound strategies for a mutually beneficial resolution. Assists in the creation and facilitation of leave administration and workers' compensation training programs Performs all other duties as assigned or required Are you a MATCH? To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each job duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties. Required Education: Bachelors in business, Human Resources or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience. (CLMS (Certified Leave Management Specialist) is preferred). We care about and support our Airgas Families. This is evident not only through our competitive compensation but also through a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision plans, vacation, sick time, floating holidays, and paid holidays for full-time employees. We provide a progressive parental leave package for our eligible Airgas parents, offering generous paid time off for the birth or placement of children, including 14 weeks of paid child birth benefit for birth mothers on leave, as well as paid parental leave benefits for other associates. Additionally, we offer our employees a 401k plan with company matching funds, tuition reimbursement, discounted college tuition for employees' dependents, and an Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children. Your differences enhance our performance At Airgas, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, community stakeholders and cultures across the world. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability or any other protected characteristic. We strongly believe a diverse organization opens up opportunities for people to express their talent, both individually and collectively and it helps foster our ability to innovate by living our fundamentals, acting for our success and creating an engaging environment in a changing world. Equal Employment Opportunity Information We are an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Please click here to view the EEO Know Your Rights poster and here to view the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination poster. Airgas, an Air Liquide Company invites any applicant and/or employee to review the Company's written Affirmative Action Plan or Policy Statement. This plan or policy statement is available for inspection upon request. Airgas, an Air Liquide Company and its group of companies does not discriminate against qualified applicants with disabilities and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to the known disabilities of such individuals so as to ensure equal access to benefits and privileges of employment. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the employment selection process, please contact us by email at . California Privacy Notice