Lead LOA & Compliance Administrator

Lead Leave of Absence & Compliance Administrator

General Summary:

LAIKA is seeking a Lead Leave of Absence & Compliance Administrator to oversee the administration and continuous improvement of its leave of absence, accommodation, and employee support programs. This role serves as a primary resource for employees, managers, medical providers, and third-party administrators, providing guidance throughout the leave and accommodation process and ensuring compliance with laws and company policies. The position also identifies opportunities to enhance processes and program effectiveness.

Job Functions:

• Administer all leave of absence programs, including FMLA, company leaves, and state-specific programs in Oregon, Washington, and California; serve as a primary resource for employees and managers regarding leave eligibility, requirements, documentation, and timelines.
• Coordinate with third-party vendors, healthcare providers, and internal departments for accurate and efficient processing.
• Review and track leave requests, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and company policies; maintain accurate leave records, documentation flow, and communication logs.
• Act as the first point of contact for employees seeking workplace accommodations, facilitating the ADA interactive process in partnership with employees, managers, Legal, and medical providers.
• Work closely with Payroll to calculate leave pay, including supplemental pay and company-provided wage replacement; ensure accurate pay alignment with leave status, benefits, and state program integration; support auditing and reconciliation of leave pay data.
• Partner closely with Safety to support Workers’ Compensation claims administration, including claim coordination, employee communication, and return-to-work planning.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with federal and state leave laws, benefit regulations, and internal policies.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of leave-related and broader benefits policies, guidance documents, manager tools, training, and employee resources.
• Collaborate with People & Culture, Legal, Employee Engagement, Safety, and other key partners to ensure consistent application of policies and processes, streamlining leave and accommodation workflows.
• Assist the broader Benefits team during annual open enrollment, audits, reporting, and ongoing projects; serve as a backup to the Benefits Specialist.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in leave administration, Benefits administration, HR compliance, or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of FMLA, ADA, Workers’ Compensation, and state leave programs; OR, WA, CA experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working with third-party leave administrators and payroll systems.
• Ability to interpret and apply federal and state laws and related HR policies.
• Exceptional communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills.
• High attention to detail with strong organizational and case management skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

• Physical demands: Requires walking, standing, sitting, using hands to operate standard office equipment, reaching, balancing, stooping, talking, and hearing. May require lifting up to 15 pounds. Vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work environment: Typical office conditions with variable indoor temperatures. Noise level is usually quiet or moderate.

Location:

• On-site in Hillsboro, OR, eligible for hybrid work.

Salary:

• Commensurate with skills and experience.