Leave Administrator

At Aspire Living & Learning, we don't just talk about making an impact, we live it. For more than 40 years, we've supported neurodiverse children and adults across New England and Maryland as they discover their passions, unlock their potential, and live more independently in their communities. Our person-centered services evolve with people's needs, from education and behavioral health to residential and community-based supports. We empower people to live lives shaped by their own interests, choices, and strengths. Join our collaborative, mission-driven team and bring your skills to work that makes a real difference every day.

Aspire is seeking a Leave Administrator to serve as the organization’s primary subject matter expert and administrator for employee leave of absence programs, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation coordination, and safety compliance. This role ensures employees are supported through complex and often sensitive situations while maintaining strict compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.  

Leveraging strong internal systems and external vendor partnerships, the Leave Administrator oversees end-to-end case management, ensures regulatory accuracy, and partners closely with HR, Payroll, managers, and external providers to deliver a compassionate, consistent, and compliant employee experience across Aspire’s multi-state footprint.

 Key Responsibilities 

Leave of Absence & Accommodations Administration 

• Serve as Aspire’s senior subject matter expert for all employee leave programs, including FMLA, ADA, state-based paid family and medical leave programs (e.g., CT PFML), Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), military leave, and company-specific leave policies. 

• Administer and oversee the full leave lifecycle, including intake, eligibility determination, designation, documentation tracking, extensions, and return-to-work coordination. 

• Coordinate overlapping leave programs (e.g., FMLA with state PFML, workers’ compensation, or disability benefits) to ensure proper sequencing, compliance, and continuity. 

• Lead the ADA interactive process in partnership with HR Business Partners and supervisors, supporting reasonable accommodations, transitional duty, and reintegration planning. 

• Maintain accurate, confidential leave records and ensure alignment with Payroll regarding wage continuation, benefit deductions, and leave coding. 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employees, managers, HR, and external vendors regarding leave-related questions and communications. 

• Support leave-related audits, compliance reviews, and documentation requests. 

• Develop and maintain clear, accessible employee-facing resources, including a comprehensive Leave Information packet and a centralized SharePoint site.  

Unemployment Insurance Administration 

• Manage unemployment insurance claims across all operating states, including timely review, response, and submission of required documentation. 

• Partner with HR and supervisors to gather separation details, attendance records, wage information, and supporting documentation. 

• Coordinate unemployment hearings, appeals, and fact-finding interviews in collaboration with external vendors, as appropriate. 

• Track claim activity, outcomes, and trends; identify opportunities to mitigate risk and improve processes. 

• Serve as the primary liaison with state unemployment agencies and third-party unemployment vendors. 

• Ensure compliance with all state-specific unemployment insurance regulations and deadlines. 

Workers’ Compensation & Injury Coordination 

• Oversee intake, reporting, and tracking of all work-related injuries and incidents, ensuring timely and accurate submission of first reports of injury. 

• Coordinate medical care, including initial evaluations, follow-up appointments, and referrals. 

• Maintain comprehensive claim files, including incident reports, medical documentation, job descriptions, wage data, and recorded statements. 

• Coordinate workers’ compensation claims with applicable leave and accommodation processes to ensure compliance and continuity. 

• Participate in claim reviews with the insurance carrier to monitor progress, address issues, and support cost containment strategies. 

• Facilitate return-to-work planning and modified duty arrangements in collaboration with managers and HR.  

Safety, Compliance & HR Operations 

• Ensure compliance with OSHA recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including preparation and maintenance of OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 logs. 

• Submit required occupational injury and illness data to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

• Monitor, update, and ensure visibility of required labor law and safety compliance postings across agency locations. 

• Conduct ergonomic assessments and support proactive workplace accommodations. 

• Analyze leave, injury, and unemployment data to identify trends and recommend improvements to reduce risk and improve employee experience. 

• Provide guidance and training to managers and internal stakeholders on injury reporting, leave procedures, and compliance expectations. 

• Participate in ongoing professional development and assigned compliance-related training. 

• Perform other duties as assigned to support regulatory alignment and employee well-being.  

Qualifications 

• High School Diploma ; Associate’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field preferred. 

• Minimum of two years of experience in Human Resources. 

• Two or more years of experience administering leaves of absence, unemployment insurance, and/or workers’ compensation cases preferred. 

• Strong working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, state paid leave programs (e.g., CT PFML), unemployment insurance regulations, and OSHA requirements, or demonstrated ability to quickly learn. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a strong service orientation. 

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple complex cases and deadlines simultaneously. 

• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, compliance-driven environment. 

• Demonstrated discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive employee and medical information. 


• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and HRIS systems; experience with UKG, Cognos, bswift, and Cigna platforms a plus. 

Aspire Living & Learning's Internal Mobility Policy ensures an equitable and efficient internal mobility system that aligns with the agency’s commitment to professional development and growth. This policy fosters a culture of mobility within the organization, aiming to provide employees with opportunities for career advancement and fulfillment. Please reference the Internal Mobility Policy to review the process to be considered for other jobs at Aspire Living & Learning.  

Lateral Transfers: You do not need to submit an application at this time. You need to let your HR Partner know you’re interested in being considered for the position. Your HR Partner will be the point of contact between you, your current manager, and your hiring manager.   

Promotions/ Cross-functional jobs: Please let your HR partner know you’re interested in being considered for the position and they will confirm your eligibility to apply. Once you speak with your HR Partner, please submit an application.  

Below is the name and information of your HR Partners to be contacted prior to applying for a promotion or cross-functional opportunity.  

Connecticut (AS) employees: Heather Murphy, [email protected]  

Connecticut (Child Services) employees: Wanetta Wilcher [email protected]  

Maryland employees: Debbie Duran dduran@allinc.org  

Massachusetts employees: Michelle Cutting  [email protected] 

New Hampshire employees: Michelle Cutting  [email protected] 

Vermont employees: Judy Stermer, [email protected]  

Shared Services and Agency Leadership: Judy Stermer [email protected]