Job descriptionA&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with 48 offices in 28 countries worldwide.
Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world's most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.
We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world's leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.
Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimize your wellbeing.
What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.
Role SummaryThis position reports to the Benefits Supervisor and is primarily responsible for administering U.S. leaves of absence tied to FMLA, disability, paid family leave, as well as reporting of workers' compensation claims. The position will also assist the Benefits Department with various benefit-related tasks and responsibilities, including with the annual benefit open enrollment period and employee questions.
Essential Duties/Responsibilities- Maintain a strong understanding of relevant laws and regulations - including the ADA, FMLA, and various programs available in the states of NY (DBL and PFL), DC (FMLA and PFL), MA (PFML), and CA (SDI, PFL, PDL, and San Francisco PPLO) - and how they coordinate with various internal Firm policies and offerings
- Administer leaves of absence for all U.S. paid employees who qualify for FMLA protection, disability benefits, and/or paid family leave benefits. Administration includes (1) ongoing dialog with employees throughout each stage of their absence, including communicating eligibility and requirements, follow up when documentation is needed, and confirming actual return to work; (2) ensuring all necessary documentation is received and complete, including return to work letters; (3) entering leaves into the Firm's HR system, PeopleSoft; (4) informing Payroll how to pay each employee while on leave; and (5) liaising with the disability and NY/MA PFL insurance company, Unum, on the processing and status of claims.
- Partner with the Compliance and Human Resources Advisory teams on reasonable accommodation requests. Coordinate with the external company, Work and Well, to review reasonable accommodation requests.
- Meet with the Compliance team on a weekly basis to ensure compliance with the above-mentioned laws and Firm policies, as well as to discuss related employee relations issues
- Work with Finance to track and properly record receipt of STD and NY/MA PFL reimbursements from Unum
- Review Unum's quarterly third-party sick pay reports for accuracy and send final versions to Payroll for processing
- Complete OSHA's annual Forms 300 and 300A for each U.S. office, as well as any Surveys of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses requested by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Coordinate timely postings of required disability and paid family leave law notices from Unum in all U.S. offices, as applicable
- Coordinate annual Washington, D.C. PFL acknowledgements, and follow up with employees as needed
- Collect benefit payments from employees on unpaid leaves of absence
- Coordinate the annual Individual Disability Insurance enrollment period available to attorneys and managers+
- Assist department with preparation of communications and events with the goal of maximizing employee and partner awareness, understanding and usage of parental and other resources available through the Firm
- Assist with various Open Enrollment tasks for the active, COBRA and retiree populations - including testing the PeopleSoft enrollment system, preparing and distributing communications, and assisting individuals with questions
- Assist employees and partners with questions and issues to satisfaction in a timely manner
- Assist others in the Benefits Department with tasks and projects, as needed
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities- Comprehensive understanding of leave laws and regulations, including the ADA, FMLA, and various programs available in the states of NY, DC, MA, IL, TX and CA
- Experience with various aspects of health & welfare benefits
- Experience with PeopleSoft or other similar HR/Benefits system, such as Workday
- Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel and Word applications
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to interact effectively with all levels of staff, partners, and outside vendors - often in a sensitive and confidential nature
- Excellent organizational and analytical skills, as well as attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and handle multiple projects simultaneously while also meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Education & Experience• 5 years or more relevant experience including leave administration and managing workplace accommodation requests
Equal Employment Opportunity, including Veterans and Disability A&O Shearman is an equal opportunity employer, including Veterans and Disability. Every individual has the right to work in a professional environment that promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all aspects of an individual's relationship with A&O Shearman, including, without limitation, recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.
If you are vision-impaired or have another disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law and wish to discuss accommodations related to applying for employment at A&O Shearman, please contact US HR Transactions at US-HRTransactions@aoshearman.com or call +1 212 610 6300 and ask for HR Transactions.
Additional information - ExternalFor individuals assigned to or hired for this opportunity in New York, the estimated annualized base salary range for this position is $93,000-$116,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on the overall qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, including, if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job, and other job-relation factors permitted by law.
