Leave Benefit Coordinator

Job Description

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Branch is one of the state's largest employers with over 46,000 employees that span 11 secretariats and 70 plus agencies. From Accountants to X-ray technicians and hundreds of titles in between, we are one employer with many career opportunities. The Commonwealth is looking for leaders, thinkers, creators, and innovators. We are a diverse workforce that reflects the diverse population that we serve.

The Human Resources Division (HRD) is an agency within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance. HRD provides support to state agencies in all matters relating to the Commonwealth's classification, compensation, benefits, recruitment, training & employee development, civil rights, collective bargaining and workers compensation administration.

The Office of Leave Planning Assistance (OLPA) is a unit within HRD which administers a comprehensive set of family and medical leave benefits for state employees in the Executive Department. This includes approximately eighteen (18) union contracts; the Executive Department's Red Book leave policies for managers and employees not covered by a union contract; federal/state laws such as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law; and other leave policies of the Executive Department.

Join Our Team as a Leave Benefit Coordinator: Make a Lasting Impact!

Are you passionate about helping people during life's most important transitions? Do you thrive in a role where compassion, problem-solving, regulations, and attention to detail come together? The OLPA team is looking for dedicated Leave Benefit Coordinators to ensure state employees receive the support they need when navigating family and medical leave.

• Impactful Work: Help employees access the leave benefits that allow them to balance their personal and professional lives with ease and confidence.
• Career Growth: Be part of an exciting transition in the Executive Department's benefit program operations, working alongside a collaborative, mission-driven team dedicated to making state government a great place to work and serve.
• Hybrid Flexibility: This position allows you to thrive in both virtual and in-person environments, giving you the best of both worlds.
• Compassion at the Core: If you're someone who enjoys actively listening and helping others through complex situations, this is the role for you!

• Employee Support: Counsel employees on leave programs, entitlements, and payment mechanisms and communicate complex information in a compassionate, clear and accessible manner.
• Simplify Complexities: Demystify the intricacies of leave benefits, making the process easier to understand and navigate.
• Ensure Compliance: Interpret and ensure compliance with federal and state leave laws (FMLA, PFML), collective bargaining agreements, and internal policies while balancing employee needs.
• Case Management & Documentation: Maintain accurate case records and support documentation, ensuring compliance, consistency, and clear communication across teams.
• Collaborative Work: Partner with HR service teams, including payroll, benefits coordinators, and ADA coordinators, to ensure employees receive holistic support, while maintaining confidentiality and compliance.
• Stay Current: Keep up to date with collective bargaining agreements, federal/state laws, and Executive Department policies related to family and medical leave.
• Customer Service Excellence: Use your exceptional communication, deescalation and empathy skills when helping employees through potentially stressful or complex situations.
• Support with Documentation: Review medical certifications and supporting documents to evaluate completeness and ensure compliance, accuracy and consistency.
• Professional Communication & Decision-Making: Use sound judgment and strong communication skills to communicate information about leave cases, ensuring employees and stakeholders understand both the process and next steps.

• Experience: Prior work in a unionized environment and familiarity with employee benefits programs or case management experience is a plus!
• Collaboration Skills: A proven ability to work effectively with diverse teams and serve a wide range of employees.
• Adaptability: The ability to absorb, retain, and apply new information, policies, and processes effectively while maintaining high standards.
• Critical Thinking: The ability to make sound eligibility determinations and provide confident well-informed guidance to employees. Use strong problem-solving, deductive reasoning, and judgment skills to navigate complex scenarios while balancing employee needs and compliance.
• Strong Communicator: Strong written and verbal skills to document and communicate case details professionally and clearly with employees, internal teams, and external partners. This may be through our telephone system, leave management software, email or Microsoft Teams.
• Tech-Savvy: The ability to utilize and ensure consistency across multiple HR systems and records, often used simultaneously. Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook. Working knowledge of AbsenceSoft's leave management software or Five9's telephony system is a big plus but not required!
• Certifications: CLMS, PHR, or SHRM-CP certification is a plus, but not required.

• Career Development: Access training, workshops, and internal presentations to grow your expertise in leave management.
• Kick Start Your HR Career: Leave management opens the door to other areas of HR, including benefits, payroll, and employee relations.
• Mission-Driven Team: Be part of a team that is making a real difference in the lives of state employees and shaping the future of state government benefits.