Absence & Employment Counsel (Hybrid)

Closing Date: 20th June, 2024

Description:

Job Description:
Location: This role supports hybrid working arrangements in Wellesley, MA | Hartford, CT | Portland, ME | Kansas City, MO.

We look for optimistic people who want to make life brighter for our?Clients.?We understand the value of diverse cultures, perspectives, and identities, and want you to bring your full and authentic self to work.?Every day,? you'll be empowered and challenged?by?working with?dynamic colleagues?to find new and innovative ways to make A Financial Services Company the best benefits company in America.

The Opportunity:
A Financial Services Company's Employment and Leave Management Legal Team is seeking an attorney with knowledge and background in employment law and specifically in laws related to leave of absence and accommodations to join their team as Counsel.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President & Senior Counsel for the Employment Law/Absence Management Legal Team, this role will be brought on to support all members of the Team. The Team is responsible for both internal employment law issues and for providing advice and counsel related to the Company's absence management services, including interpretation and application of federal and state paid and unpaid leave and accommodation laws.

How you will contribute:

• Under the direction of members of the Employment and Leave Management team, you will provide legal advice and counsel related to employment law issues arising out of leaves of absence and accommodations. You will primarily be working on matters related to our third party leave and accommodation management services but may also be called upon to address employment issues for A Financial Services Company's own employees
• Provide compliance support on a variety of federal and state leave and accommodation laws, including but not limited to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), state unpaid leave laws, state Paid Family and Medical Leave Acts (PFML), private PFML plans, other leave and accommodation laws, and the interaction of absence claims and issues with disability claims
• Conduct legal research and monitor relevant developments to keep business units informed of same
• Assist with drafting and reviewing operational processes, forms, templates, notices, job aids, claims manuals, and other internal resources
• Support training efforts related to absence and accommodation compliance and associated operational processes
• Draft, review, and/or negotiate service agreements, vendor contracts, NDAs, consulting agreements, reinsurance agreements, administrative services and other contracts
• Partner with internal and external clients on product and marketing documents
• Advise the claims team regarding claim escalations, client concerns, offsets, and best practices
• Support the absence implementation team, including review of company leave policies, customization requests, and account set-up
• Engage in thought leadership by writing and participating in industry conferences, webinars, white papers, etc
• Other duties as assigned

What you will bring with you:

• Self-motivation with the ability to handle multiple priorities with minimal supervision
• Ability to analyze and provide practical legal guidance on issues that carry potential risk to the Company
• A high degree of proficiency in problem solving, fact finding and legal research
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to lead through influence
• Ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise
• Demonstrated experience with coordinating and managing cross-functional projects and initiatives
• Ability to think creatively to resolve complex and/or non-routine issues
• Be able to work with a diverse group of people
• Requires a law degree from an accredited law school with a license to practice in at least one U.S. state
• Minimum of 3+ years as practicing attorney in a law firm or in-house focused on employment law
• Experience with state and federal leave and accommodation administration, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, and state PFML laws, and other related programs
• Knowledge of group disability products, third-party administration and reinsurance, preferred
• Computer literacy in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Westlaw, and other online resources

Do you see yourself in this role even if you haven't checked all the boxes above? We welcome all talented candidates and are committed to a culture that represents diversity in all forms. If you think you might thrive in this setting, we would love to hear from you.

Not ready to apply yet but want to stay in touch? Join our talent community (https://pages.beamery.com/sunlifecareers/page/join-us-canada) to stay connected until the time is right for you!

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