Manager, Absence & Disability

About us

National Grid is seeking an experienced Manager, Absence and Disability that can sit in Syracuse, NY.  Consideration could be considered for someone in Hicksville, NY

 

Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live. The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating and our expertise and track record puts us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry.

To be successful we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business.

Job Purpose

Provide guidance and support to the organization in managing Occupational Health programs.

Key Accountabilities

 

• Manage a staff of Absence, Disability, and Drug & Alcohol (D&A) program experts.
• Deliver absence management strategy in support of the Business and Labor Relations for the purpose of identifying absence trends, managing cases, managing employees back to work, and ensuring compliance with Federal, State, City and Local statutes, and company leave programs. 
• Prepare and review policy manuals regarding leave and disability management to ensure conformance to applicable laws and best practices. 
• Provide strategic direction to third-party administrator (TPA) on Worker’s Compensation (WC) claims, including injury management, return to work process, litigation, and surveillance.
• Authorize Worker’s Compensation financial reserves and claim settlements up to $250K per claim.
• Oversee administration of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Reasonable Accommodation cases, namely- disability /ADA pregnancy and religious accommodations ensuring interactive process is adhered to. Personally manage escalated cases.
• Work with Legal in responding to State Division of Human Rights (SDHR) audits and complaints. 
• Testify as needed at hearings, arbitrations, and mediations related to ADA, WC, D&A, and Labor issues or depositions 
• Manage Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) D&A Programs, including DOT random, post-accident, reasonable cause, return-to-work, and follow-up testing. 
• Build relationships and lead in cross collaboration with Legal, Health, HR, and Labor partners on relevant cases
• Manage company Drug & Alcohol Prevention Program. 
• Manage Mandatory Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Referrals.
• Develop and adhere to regional budget.

 

Supervisory/Interpersonal- Experience Required

 

Expert knowledge of:

• Employment law, including NYS WC, FMLA, ADA, SDHR, NYS and NYC leave laws.
• US Department of Transportation (DOT) medical screening and drug testing laws.
• Experience applying knowledge of disability concepts, disability plans, medical terminology, claim management practices and principles, reasonable accommodations and return to work practices
• Considerable knowledge of medical and technical terminology used in individual injury cases

Ability to gain and maintain expertise on:

• Company absence policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Leave of Absence (LOA) topics to ensure compliance with federal and state laws through participating in continuing education courses.

 

Qualifications

 

• Bachelor’s degree in a Business or Health related field of study required, Master’s degree a plus.
• Minimum 5 years recent experience applying regulatory and legislative knowledge in the following: 
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the interactive process 
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA) 
• Short Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) plans
• Parental leaves
• Multi-state leave law 
• Workers’ compensation and life benefits as it relates to integrating with leave and disability
• Any other federal, state or local statutory leaves or other applicable compliance requirements
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to make timely and effective decisions.
• Ability to network and promote programs and agendas.
• Ability to interact effectively at all levels of the Company and drive behaviour change.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
• Ability to establish credibility and be decisive
• Efficient