Specialist, Employee Leave and Accommodations

Join Our Team!

Location: Ashburn, VA (Onsite)

Compensation: $33.00 - $34.00 per hour

Reports to: Manager, Employee Leave & Accommodations

Support the People Behind Every SSP America Location

At SSP America, leave and accommodations support is how we take care of our people when life happens outside of work.

We are seeking an organized, service-focused Leave of Absence and Accommodations Specialist to support the day-to-day administration of our leave of absence and workplace accommodation programs across the United States and Canada. Reporting to the Manager, Employee Leave & Accommodations, you will coordinate leave and accommodation cases from intake through return to work, keep case records accurate and audit-ready, and guide employees and leaders through every step of the process.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who is detail-driven, enjoys solving problems for people, and wants to build deep expertise in FMLA, ADA, PWFA, state and provincial paid leave programs, and the interactive accommodation process.

What You'll Do:

As the Leave of Absence and Accommodations Specialist, you will be a primary point of contact for employees, People Leaders, and site teams navigating leave and accommodation requests.

Key responsibilities include:

• Coordinating leave requests end to end, including intake, documentation tracking, claim coordination, status updates, return-to-work follow-up, and case closure.
• Reviewing leave notifications from third-party administrators and government agencies, and taking timely action to complete required employer information, documentation, and follow-up.
• Verifying employee eligibility and providing required employer data to third-party leave administrators, state agencies, provincial agencies, and internal partners.
• Preparing employer statements, wage and employment verifications, Paid Family Leave forms, disability forms, and other leave-related documents accurately and within required timelines.
• Tracking claim status from initiation through return to work, including approvals, denials, extensions, pending certifications, intermittent leave activity, and outstanding employee or manager actions.
• Coordinating workplace accommodation requests under ADA, PWFA, disability-related and pregnancy-related accommodation processes, and comparable Canadian provincial requirements.
• Supporting the interactive process by gathering relevant information, coordinating required participation, tracking next steps, and keeping stakeholders informed of required actions.
• Tracking accommodation approvals, temporary accommodations, review and expiration dates, modified duty arrangements, and ongoing follow-up.
• Serving as a primary support contact for employee, manager, People Leader, and site questions on leave procedures, documentation requirements, claim status, return-to-work steps, and accommodation updates.
• Coordinating return-to-work and fitness-for-duty documentation, including work restrictions, release dates, manager communications, and related payroll or HRIS updates.
• Partnering with Payroll, HRIS, Benefits, People Services, Operations, Legal, Safety, vendors, and field leadership to resolve leave-related data issues, payroll impacts, benefits continuation questions, and system updates.
• Maintaining confidential employee medical, leave, disability, benefits, payroll, and employment information, and supporting compliance with FMLA, ADA, PWFA, state and local paid leave programs, Canadian leave and accommodation requirements, collective bargaining agreement provisions, and internal policies.
• Supporting leave and accommodation audits, reporting, reconciliations, case reviews, and vendor follow-up, and strengthening trackers, templates, job aids, and standard operating procedures.
• Living SSP America's Core Values of Ownership, Teamwork, Curiosity, and Passion in every employee and leader interaction.

What We're Looking For:

We are looking for someone who pairs strong organization and follow-through with real care for employees during sensitive moments.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive employee medical, leave, disability, benefits, payroll, and employment information with discretion and professionalism.
• Strong organizational, documentation, follow-up, time management, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain leave and accommodation processes clearly, professionally, and empathetically.
• Strong customer service orientation, with the ability to support employees and leaders through sensitive, complex, or time-critical matters.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across cross-functional teams while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, multi-location environment.
• Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, PWFA, state paid leave programs, disability benefits, or Canadian leave and accommodation requirements, or a demonstrated willingness and ability to learn these requirements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to speak, read, and write fluently in English.
• Ability to establish and maintain eligibility to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Ability to pass and maintain a criminal background check and, as required, meet airport security requirements such as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) clearance, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transport Canada, and other applicable clearances.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Prior experience in leave administration, benefits, human resources, employee relations, HR operations, or a related support function.
• Experience with HRIS platforms, case management tools, and third-party vendor portals; SuccessFactors experience preferred.
• Experience supporting both U.S. and Canadian employee populations.
• Experience in hospitality, restaurant, travel, aviation, retail, or other multi-unit environments.
• Experience supporting a unionized workforce or administering leave under collective bargaining agreements.
• Professional credentials such as CLMS, PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent certification.

You'll Be Successful if You:

• Stay organized across a high volume of open cases without letting a deadline slip.
• Treat every employee situation with confidentiality, empathy, and urgency.
• Follow up until an open item is closed, and escalate risks before they become compliance or employee experience issues.
• Translate complex leave and accommodation rules into clear, practical next steps for employees and managers.
• Ask questions, notice patterns, and speak up when a process or document could work better.
• Build trusted working relationships across People Services, Payroll, Operations, Legal, Safety, and third-party vendors.
• Keep records accurate, complete, and audit-ready without being asked.

Schedule and Work Environment

• This is an onsite role based at the SSP America Support Center in Ashburn, VA.
• Days and hours of work may vary based on business needs and the schedule mutually agreed upon with your manager.
• Occasional evening, weekend, holiday, or extended-hour work may be required to support leave, accommodation, payroll, audit, compliance, or urgent employee matters.
• The role may include travel to operational locations and movement throughout airport and restaurant environments.

Why Join SSP America?

SSP America operates restaurants, bars, cafes, and food and beverage locations in airports across North America, and this role supports team members at every one of them. You will gain hands-on experience across U.S. and Canadian leave and accommodation requirements, work directly with third-party administrators and government agencies, and see the impact of your work in the employee experience every day. You will join a People team that values ownership, curiosity, and doing right by employees.

If you are detail-oriented, people-focused, and want to build a career in leave and accommodations administration, we would love to hear from you.

Apply today and help us support the people behind every SSP America location.

SSP America is an equal opportunity employer. All decisions concerning the employment relationship will be made without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial, or local law. SSP America will provide reasonable accommodations during the application and interview process upon request as required to comply with applicable laws.