Benefits Analyst (Leave of Absence)

Western Governors University • Full-time • Hybrid in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States • $66,300 - $99,500 / year • 1m ago

Fast Facts

WGU is seeking a passionate Benefits Analyst to support the administration of employee benefits, focusing on leave management and workplace accommodations, while providing exceptional customer service in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include administering leave of absence requests, collaborating with HR and Payroll, providing guidance to employees, and maintaining data and documentation related to accommodations.

Skills: Strong interpersonal skills, legal knowledge on employee benefits, data analysis capabilities, and proficiency in Microsoft Office are required.

Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include experience presenting to groups, working in large HR functions or shared service centers, and HRIS/payroll systems familiarity.

Location: The position is based in Salt Lake City, UT, requiring 4 days a week in-office and one day working from home, within a 50-mile radius from the office.

Compensation: $66300 - $99500 / Annually

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Professional 307Pay Range: $66,300.00 - $99,500.00

Job Description

Summary

The Benefits Analyst provides vital support toward ensuring the smooth delivery of all WGU employee benefit plans, programs, and policies. These include retirement, healthcare, wellbeing, EAP, life and disability, paid time off, leaves of absence, accommodations, recognition, and other ancillary benefits. Provides personal-touch customer service to WGU employees nationwide. This role operates in a high-paced, high-growth environment and demands a positive, passionate, and enthusiastic approach. It delivers critical strategic, administrative, and transaction support within the WGU People & Talent team. Provides stewardship of processes, analysis, data reconciliation and auditing, reporting, communications, and project management, all critical to the design and operation of all benefit plans. Works closely with all areas of People & Talent and various other internal and external contacts.

Job Profile Summary

The Benefits Analyst provides vital support toward ensuring the smooth delivery of all WGU employee benefit plans, programs, and policies. These include retirement, healthcare, wellbeing, EAP, life and disability, paid time off, leave of absence, accommodations, recognition, and other ancillary benefits. Provides personal-touch customer service to WGU employees nationwide. This role operates in a high-paced, high-growth environment and demands a positive, passionate, and enthusiastic approach. It delivers critical strategic, administrative, and transaction support within the WGU People & Talent team. Provides stewardship of processes, analysis, data reconciliation and auditing, reporting, communications, and project management, all critical to the design and operation of all benefit plans. Works closely with all areas of People & Talent and various other internal and external contacts.
The Role: We are looking for a highly skilled Benefits Analyst with a focus on leaves and accommodations to join our team. The ideal candidate will be experienced in handling complex leave management, workplace accommodations, and benefits administration while ensuring exceptional employee experience and customer service. This highly visible role provides personal-touch customer service to WGU employees nationwide in our high-paced, high-growth environment.
Location: This position requires you to be located within 50 miles of Salt Lake City, UT, with the ability to work 4 days a week in-office at our headquarters: 4001 South 700 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84107, and one day from home
Responsibilities
Primary Responsibilities
Administer all leave of absence requests and accommodations, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws, as well as company policies and procedures.
Collaborate with HR, Payroll, and other departments to effectively manage leaves and accommodations, providing timely and accurate information to employees and stakeholders.
Serve as the primary point of contact for employees inquiring about leave and accommodation options, providing comprehensive guidance and support.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with employees and cross-functional teams, promoting a positive employee experience and fostering collaboration.
Analyze leave and accommodation data, identifying trends and providing recommendations for continuous improvement of policies and procedures.
Lead training sessions and workshops to educate employees and managers on leave and accommodation policies, rights, and responsibilities.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation related to leaves and accommodations, ensuring employee privacy and data security.
· Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local laws related to leaves and disability accommodations, including FMLA, ADA, and multiple state-specific leave laws.
This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities. The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
KSAs
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to proactively engage with individuals at all levels, including employees, leaders, team members, and external vendors or advisors.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment, exercising influence and leadership when needed.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly and persuasively in presentations, emails, reports, and discussions.
Skilled in interpreting and applying technical and regulatory information related to HR, especially employee benefits, leaves, and accommodations.
In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience with the design, management, and administration of employee benefit programs—including insurance renewals, retirement plans, vendor management, government filings, benchmarking, enrollment, auditing, training, and communications.
Solid understanding of HRIS and related systems, including cross-functional impacts with payroll and enterprise platforms.
Proficient in Microsoft Office tools and skilled in working with various data formats and systems to process transactions, analyze trends, and generate reports.
Data-driven mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving skills; able to diagnose root causes, identify key drivers, and recommend actionable improvements.
Ability to prioritize, organize, and manage multiple time-sensitive projects in a fast-paced, constantly evolving environment.
Creative and innovative thinker with the ability to apply common solutions in unique or evolving contexts.
Strong work ethic, eagerness to learn, and willingness to take on new assignments.
Commitment to team success and individual growth; actively contributes to a positive, inclusive work environment.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience (1 year experience = 1 year education

2-3 years of experience specifically working with Leaves of Absence or Accommodations

Ability to manage 75+ LOA cases simultaneously

Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws related to benefits

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Products

Superb written and verbal communication skills

Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions

Experience in lieu of education: Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for the education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education, and is at the discretion of the hiring manager.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience presenting to groups.

Experience in a large organization's human resources function.

HR shared service center experience.

Experience with HRIS/payroll systems.

Workday experience

Progress toward or completion of Certified Benefits Professional (CBP), Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), or other HR-related certifications.

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Physical Requirements:

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Job Description Disclaimer: This position description provides the major duties/responsibilities, requirements, and working conditions for the position. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position; however, management reserves the right to revise or change as necessary to meet organizational needs. Other responsibilities may be assigned when circumstances require.

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.