Coordinator: Leave Management - Talent Division (2024-25)

"Ref. 10275

Position Description

TITLE:

Coordinator, Leave Management
REPORTS TO:
Assigned Supervisor

DEPARTMENT:

As Assigned
CLASSIFICATION:
Classified Management Confidential

FLSA:

Exempt
WORK YEAR/HOURS:
261 days / 7.5 hours

ISSUED:
Created: June 2016
SALARY GRADE:
CFCA 20

BASIC FUNCTION: The Leave Management Coordinator is responsible for the management of the leave of absence process for employees on Non-Occupational/Occupational absences, while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role owns Talent system processing, updates and leads all efforts as one point of contact during the leave of absence. This position coordinates the interactions of multiple functions, consults with internal and external resources to facilitate the absence management process. The Leave Coordinator works closely with Talent Staff, Managers, Payroll, Risk Management, Third Party Administrators as well as other functional areas to provide assistance. The position will provide proactive guidance, education, and training.
Maintain confidentiality of all personnel matters; some duties will involve access to confidential information concerning employer-employee relations.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES: (Incumbents may perform any combination of the essential functions shown below. This position description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, knowledge, or abilities associated with this classification, but is intended to reflect the principal job elements accurately.)

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Responsible for the administration of all leaves of absences for all employees.
Ensure the employee and supervisor understands the disability policy and process when an initial claim is made.
Establish Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claims; track and code documentation in accordance with internal workflow processes.
Analyze FMLA claims to determine eligibility and certification in compliance with state and federal regulations.
Identify action plan; determine benefits due; and make timely case decisions based on service expectations as established by the department.
Communicate decisions and on-going expectations with claimants and supervisors.
Review and assess current FMLA leave practices and propose revisions to improve overall accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and communication.
Counsel and advise employees and supervisors about FMLA rights and responsibilities while maintaining appropriate confidentiality of employee medical information.
Determine FMLA eligibility, generate all necessary correspondence, review FMLA medical documentation, request clarification where necessary, determine whether or not leave is FMLA - qualifying, make appropriate designation and follow up as necessary.
Track and maintain accurate records for all individual FMLA leave claims, documents, and determinations.
Communicate as necessary with employees, supervisors, and departments to keep employees informed and up to date through FMLA leave application process, period of FMLA leave, and return to work.
Assess FMLA claims to determine short/long term disability coverage status and provide notice to employee as applicable; interface with providers as applicable.
Respond to inquiries from disability carriers regarding any information needed for claim processing.
Coordinate state disability in conjunction with OUSD disability filing.
Interface with Risk Management and the Disability Management Coordinator to ensure that Worker's Compensation claimants are apprised of FMLA and ADA rights and obligations per law and District policy.
Provide guidance on fitness for duty and Family and Medical Leave Act issues.
Monitor all leave usage on a regular basis to ensure any adjustments are made to reduce or eliminate errors that result in over and underpayments to the employee.
Ensure proper metrics are established to monitor all absence and leave activity.
Conduct periodic leave audits to obtain employees leave history and leave balances, to ensure that balances are accurate, to make any necessary adjustments to balances, and to inform employees of leave balances.
Coordinate employee benefit premiums for employees out on leave.
Recommend process improvements and solutions to complex FMLA and attendance scenarios and overall improvements to absence management process.
Perform related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:
The District determines whether a candidate is qualified based on fulfillment of prerequisites, relevant work experience, ability to perform the essential functions, reference checks, effective interpersonal and communication skills demonstrated by interview performance and/or writing samples, and achievement on performance-based assessments (if applicable) that demonstrate the candidate possesses the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities. Meeting prerequisites only satisfies the initial screening process and does not indicate the candidate is qualified to perform the essential functions of the position.

KNOWLEDGE OF:
All related federal, state, and local regulations, filing and compliance requirements as it relates to leave of absence
General personnel rules and procedures
ADA, FMLA, HIPAA, IPM and Worker's Compensation regulations
California Labor Codes
Legal principles of the California Worker's Compensation system
Medical Disability Management
District collective bargaining law and labor agreements
Principles of supervision, employee evaluations and employee relations
Basic medical terminology
Principles and practices of supervision, communication and training
Planning, organization and coordination needed for assigned program
Diverse academic, socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, and disability backgrounds of District students and staff
Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation
Computer software, hardware, and related technology, including databases and spreadsheets
ABILITY TO:
Interpret, apply and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures in a clear and concise manner
Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
Prepare clear, concise and comprehensive narrative and statistical reports
Maintain confidentiality
Supervise and evaluate the performance of assigned staff
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with multi-faceted public and private agencies and District departments, community, and others of diverse backgrounds, experience, and personalities
Establish credibility with numerous constituents, effectively handle sensitive personnel issues, and be comfortable and effective working with all levels of an organization
Demonstrate excellent and effective written and spoken communication skills in English, including content, context, communication, conciseness, grammar and usage
Think and plan long term, as well as understand and articulate how relevant complex issues relate to one another and how to best address these issues in a thorough and comprehensive way
Work independently with little direction
Plan and organize work to meet schedules and timelines
Effectively operate a computer for the purpose for the purpose of database management, data retrieval, and word processing
Establish and maintain strong and effective working relationship with other employees, managers, District staff, contractors, attorneys and the general public
PREREQUISITES
Bachelor Degree or its equivalency required (2 years of similar and relevant work level experience = 1 year of college) in public administration, business administration, accounting, economics, risk management or related coursework. A combination of experience and education may be used to meet the Bachelor Degree requirement; however, the work experience years used to qualify for the Bachelor Degree requirement cannot be used to meet the work requirement.
Three (3) years experience in working in leave or disability management, occupational safety and health programs, worker's compensation, casualty or employee benefit insurance, or loss control programs, preferably with a public agency and/or in a risk management program
Experience in the Healthcare industry preferred
Experience with Short-term Disability, COBRA, and ADA a plus
Experience working in a collective bargaining environment preferred
Demonstrated success performing analysis of complex laws and policies surrounding disability and leave management
Master's degree preferred
Valid California Driver's License
PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROCESS:
Employment eligibility will include fingerprints, tuberculosis and/or other employment clearance

WORKING CONDITIONS
ENVIRONMENT:
Office and diverse school site environments; driving a vehicle to conduct work; fast-paced work; constant interruptions

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Consistent mental alertness; sitting or standing for extended periods of time; lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling objects up to 30 pounds, occasionally 30+ pounds; bending and twisting at the waist, reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally; dexterity of both hands and fingers while performing duties; seeing to read, write and use the computer; hearing and speaking to exchange information, in person or on the telephone, and make presentations.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY:
The Oakland Unified School District does not discriminate in any program, activity, or in employment on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, gender, sex, or sexual orientation.