Absence Advisor

Cox Automotive is currently seeking an Absence Advisor to join our team. Candidates must reside within the Eastern or Central time zones of the United States. Atlanta, GA is the preferred location and operates under a hybrid work arrangement. Candidates located elsewhere within the Eastern or Central time zones will be considered for remote employment.
Please note: We are hiring two individuals for this position.
The Role:
The Absence & Accommodations team provides compliant, consistent, and employee-centered leave, accommodation, and workers' compensation support across Cox Automotive (CAI) and its subsidiaries throughout North America.
The Absence Advisor supports the administration of CAI's Absence & Accommodations programs across the U.S. and Canada, serving as the first point of contact for employees and stakeholders. This role coordinates leave-related information, workplace accommodations, and return-to-work processes in alignment with program guidelines, operational practices, and compliance requirements. The Absence Advisor escalates complex, non-standard or sensitive situations for review.
Primary Responsibilities:
Service & Delivery

• Serve as the first point of contact for employees, managers, and HR Business Partners regarding absence and accommodations programs, helping drive a consistent employee experience and support continuous improvement.
• Review incoming cases for completeness and route them in accordance with program guidelines, operational practices, and established compliance requirements, including DriveSafe, FMCSA, and Workers' Compensation programs.
• Review new leave and accommodation requests, ensuring accurate triage, documentation, and routing to the appropriate team and/or Third-Party Administrator (TPA).
• Provide employees and managers with clear information regarding eligibility, documentation requirements, timelines, pay processing, return-to-work processes, and program expectations.
• Establish claims within applicable systems and maintain complete, accurate case documentation and employee status updates within case management platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, Workday, AbsenceTracker).
• Perform ergonomic accommodation fulfillment and reconciliation activities to support compliance with ADA and EEOC requirements.
• Manage work in a high-volume, fast-paced environment utilizing multiple communication channels, including phone, chat, email, and case management systems.

Return to Work (RTW) Coordination

• Process RTW documentation, confirm employee readiness, and update employee status within applicable systems in accordance with internal policy and regulatory requirements.

• Communicate and coordinate employee RTW status with leaders and HR Business Partners to support timely and effective transitions and handoffs.

• Escalate non-standard, complex, or sensitive RTW situations to the Absence & Accommodations Business Partner and/or Senior Manager, as appropriate.

Multichannel Employee Service Delivery (Phone, Chat, Email)

• Manage inbound and outbound communications through phone, chat, and email in accordance with established service level expectations.
• Deliver empathetic, accurate, and timely support tailored to employee needs.
• Adhere to established schedules, phone coverage assignments, and routing requirements.
• Escalate complex, sensitive, or non-routine inquiries to the appropriate team members for resolution.
• Provide employees with accurate educational materials and program information through the Service Station ticketing system and other approved channels, as appropriate.

Compliance, Documentation & Quality Support

• Ensure all case actions comply with applicable federal and state leave regulations, company policies, and program requirements.
• Perform data maintenance and quality updates within HRIS and claims management systems in accordance with established program guidelines and leadership expectations.
• Follow established operational workflows, documentation standards, and communication protocols to ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
• Participate in quality assurance reviews and coaching sessions conducted by leadership.
• Identify and communicate trends, process gaps, and recurring employee questions to leadership to support continuous improvement.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, healthcare administration, business management, or related discipline. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as 4 years' experience in a related field.
• Strong customer service orientation with a focus on delivering a positive employee experience.
• Ability to work effectively in a highly regulated and compliance-focused environment.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Ability to deal sensitively with confidential material.
• Strong verbal and written communication, organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills.
• Ability to adapt to constant change.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in human resources, claims management, workplace accommodation, or related fields.
• Experience providing services directly to various levels within an organization.

• Experience in leave administration.

• Experience with third party administrators (TPAs) or vendor partners.

• Experience with Workday, UKG Time Keeping Systems, AbsenceSoft claims management or similar tools.

• Strong knowledge of federal and state regulations as they pertain to leaves.

USD 24.23 - 36.35 per hour
Compensation:
Hourly pay rate is in the range of $24.23 - $36.35/hour. The hourly base rate may vary within the anticipated range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include commission (annual, monthly, etc.) and/or an incentive program.
Benefits:
Employees are eligible to receive a minimum of sixteen hours of paid time off every month and seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.
Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship.
EOE, including disability/vets