Leave of Absence Specialist; TEMPORARY - Modesto, CA area

Leave of Absence Specialist (TEMPORARY) - Modesto, CA area

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About Us

We are California’s largest regional, full‑service grocery chain, founded over 70 years ago in Modesto, California, where our headquarters are still located today. With 194 stores across Central and Northern California and Western Nevada, our banners—Save Mart, Lucky, and Food Maxx—are cherished regional brands, serving the unique needs of their communities. It’s our 12,000 passionate associates who make our company a great place to work and shop.

We prioritize investing in our people, stores, and neighborhoods, and work closely with local suppliers to bring fresh, quality products at affordable prices to our customers. Shoppers can access our offerings in‑store, online, or through convenient home delivery and curbside pick‑up. The Save Mart Companies is part of The Jim Pattison Group.

Job Summary

The Leave of Absence (LOA) Specialist works closely with the Manager of Benefits and Leave Administration to ensure that Save Mart is administering the Leaves Program in accordance with all leave types. The LOA Specialist is responsible for all the ADA interactive processes that must occur relative to any accommodation requested by a team member. This position works closely with Management stakeholders to determine whether Save Mart can accommodate the request, temporarily or permanently, tracking the various accommodations and the reasons to ensure consistency.

The Specialist also interacts with various HR stakeholders, Payroll, Training, Operations, Distribution Centers, Risk Management, and external third‑party administrators.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Interpreting and administering leave and accommodation programs and policies in accordance with federal and state employment laws (FMLA, ADA, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, etc.) as well as collective bargaining agreements.
• Work closely with Manager of Benefits & Leave Administration on leave strategy, focus, and execution of tasks.
• Serve as subject matter expert by consulting, advising, administering, and providing training to managers and those in need of accommodations, FMLA and other leave types.
• Interpret and provide guidance on resolution of accommodation requests by understanding medical needs and essential job functions to ensure a smooth transition and compliance.
• Review information and documentation for completeness and clarity.
• Assist with investigations into claims of disability‑related grievances and claims.
• Partner closely with HR business partners on accommodation cases and workers’ compensation claims, review claim status, and develop resolution strategies.
• Escalate complex issues to Manager and work with legal counsel to determine methods for resolving complex leave and accommodation issues.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records.
• Track and report key elements of the Leaves database, ensuring trends are brought forward for leadership decision‑making.
• Research and investigate in a complex environment to establish timelines, decisions, and events that occur in leave administration.
• Assist in the creation and update of leave administration and accommodation processes to ensure compliance.

Requirements (Knowledge,

Skills and Abilities

)

• Understanding of rules, regulations, and policies governing leaves and collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience in LOA/HR.
• Knowledge of leave and ADA processes.
• Working knowledge of leave administration including management, team members, and third‑party administration.
• Understanding of all leave types: FMLA, CFRA, PDL, ADA, STD, LTD, USERRA, CA SDI, CA/NEVADA DFEH/EDD, and Workers’ Compensation.
• Ability to research electronic sources to investigate timelines and chronological sequences of decisions.
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Consistent application and ability to track decisions accurately.
• Ability to coordinate the ADA interactive process timely and accurately, knowing when to partner with management on issues.

Education – 4‑year Bachelor’s Degree and/or equivalent experience or training.

Experience – 2 years related experience.

Other – Must be able to work overtime when needed.

Hiring Pay Range – $28.35 - $30.00.

Reference: req
40437

Seniority Level – Entry level

Employment Type – Temporary

Job Function – Other |
Industry – Retail

The Save Mart Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome resumes from individuals who will contribute to our diverse workforce.