Absence Management Specialist

Join the Cleveland Clinic team, where you will work alongside passionate caregivers and provide patient-first healthcare. You will work alongside dedicated caregivers, receive endless support and appreciation, and build a rewarding career with one of the most respected healthcare organizations in the world.

The Absence Management Specialist is responsible for managing cases relating to leaves of absence from initial request to return to work. You will manage inquiries, requests, and cases to closure, while appropriately escalating complex cases.

This role provides the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of our caregivers, experiencing important life events like medical leave and family emergencies. You’ll help ensure they get the time, resources, and guidance they need, while keeping everything organized and compliant behind the scenes. This position provides many opportunities to grow and help build expertise in HR compliance, benefits and can potentially lead you into HR leadership in the future.

A caregiver in this position remote days with a Northeast Ohio homebase works from 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. *External hires will be expected to be on-site on day one.

A caregiver who excels in this role will:

• Review caregiver eligibility for FMLA, short-term disability and medical leave.
• Send required eligibility and designation notices and ensure compliance with internal and external policies and regulations.
• Review medical documentation and work with nurse case manager to approve appropriate pay and job protection benefits.
• Communicate with managers and Human Resources regarding return-to-work dates, exhaustion of benefits, eligibility requirements and accommodation requests.
• Communicate and explain determinations and leave requirements to caregivers.
• Create leave cases in HRIS, timekeeping and payroll systems and schedule payment for caregivers on unpaid and paid leaves of absence.
• Troubleshoot pay issues and coordinate with payroll to resolve issues and comply with payroll processing deadlines.
• Serve as point of contact for leaving inquiries and questions and advise employees and managers on the organization's leave programs, including maternity or parental leave, medical or disability leave, military leave, or unpaid leave.
• Serve as escalation point of contact support to incoming calls/emails/requests from customers (e.g., caregivers, managers, candidates, dependents) to answer questions, resolve issues, and respond to inquiries related to specific area of focus (e.g., Benefits, Absence).
• Refer complex cases requiring interpretation to appropriate COE (center of excellence) if additional research or expertise is required.
• Provide program input and recommendations to COE Leaders.
• Completes required regulatory and compliance reporting.
• Responsible for managing the life cycle of a leave case from request to return to work.
• Run bi-weekly audit to ensure Semi-Monthly caregivers on leave are not overpaid.
• Make entries in Workday to stop auto pay for Semi-Monthly caregivers.
• Utilize Excel to perform Payroll audit for Caregivers on leave and work closely with Payroll to ensure leave of absence pay is correct and caregivers return to work on time.
• Works with Payroll on pay corrections needed during Payroll run.
• Coordinate and track overpayments with Semi-Monthly caregivers and follow up throughout the life cycle of the overpayment to ensure the amount is paid back in full.
• Assist caregivers on worker’s compensation with buying back their PTO when they have been approved for worker’s compensation payments.
• Research and respond to questions related to Paid Time Off (PTO)
  
  

Minimum qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include:

• Three years of experience in Human Resource or Leave of Absence Administration OR four years of experience and a High School Diploma/GED or equivalent
• Proficient in Microsoft applications including Windows and Microsoft Office
• Customer service experience
• Understand and interpret company polices and complex state and federal leave laws
  
  

Preferred qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources field
• Call Center or customer-facing HR experience
• Project Management experience
  
  

Our caregivers continue to create the best outcomes for our patients across each of our facilities. Click the link and see how we’re dedicated to providing what matters most to you: https://jobs.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-2/

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to perform work in a stationary position for extended periods.
• Ability to travel throughout the hospital system. For some roles, ability to travel to other locations, including international travel.
• Ability to operate a computer, audio visual and other office equipment.
• Ability to communicate and exchange accurate information, including the ability to deliver any applicable training in person and virtually.
• In some locations, ability to move up to 25 lbs.
  
  

Personal Protective Equipment:

• Follows Standard Precautions using personal protective equipment as required.
  
  

Pay Range

Minimum hourly: $20.77

Maximum hourly: $31.68

The pay range displayed on this job posting reflects the anticipated range for new hires. While the pay range is displayed as an hourly rate, Cleveland Clinic recruiters will clarify whether the compensation is hourly or salary. A successful candidate's actual compensation will be determined after taking factors into consideration such as the candidate's work history, experience, skill set, and education. This is not inclusive of the value of Cleveland Clinic's benefits package, which includes among other benefits, healthcare/dental/vision and retirement.