MELISSA M. PARKER
Mesa,AZ
Summary
Highly organized and detail-oriented Leave of Absence Professional with 17 years of extensive experience in leave administration, benefits, and HR call center operations. Possessing a deep understanding of complex FMLA, ADA, and evolving state-specific leave programs, including critical State Paid Leave initiatives, ensuring full compliance and providing compassionate employee support.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Leave of Absence Coordinator
CommonSpirit Health/Dignity Health
07.2021 - Current
- Managed end-to-end leave administration for 250-600 active cases, encompassing eligibility, designation, documentation, and intermittent leave tracking, consistently achieving defined KPIs for timely processing and strict regulatory compliance.
- Provided expert consultation and conducted thorough research to resolve complex leave of absence issues for employees.
- Ensured seamless benefit transitions for employees on leave by expertly advising on changes, managing billing, and clarifying COBRA continuation options.
Leave Analyst
Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health
01.2018 - Current
- Expedited resolution of complex leave escalations, serving as the primary liaison with Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) to ensure accurate and timely outcomes.
- Provided expert pay advising, guiding accurate timecard coding for diverse leave types, including seamless integration of State and Workers' Compensation benefits, and ensuring precise application of PTO/Vacation and Sick leave policies per organizational and union provisions.
- Facilitated open communication between employees, supervisors, HR teams, and medical providers throughout the entire leave process.
Leave Specialist
TRC Staffing
09.2017 - 12.2018
- Leave Specialist contracting with Dignity Health before a direct hire January 2018.
Lead HR Employee Services Representative (Leave of Absence)
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2014 - 09.2017
- Designed an internal interactive process for HR that slashed decision time from over fifteen days to three, significantly boosting efficiency.
- Managed the coordination of all non-leave ADA accommodations with facilities and IT, tracking metrics to identify cost savings and process improvements.
- Developed standard instructional templates that enhanced communication effectiveness for employees and managers regarding accommodations.
- Co-designed an ADA Standard Operating Procedure, aligning with federal regulations and internal policies in the absence of a vendor-defined process. This included defining roles, responsibilities, and timeframes.
- Created and maintained a robust tracking method for monitoring ADA decisions and ensuring accurate reporting.
- Streamlined Workers' Compensation procedures, leading to more efficient communication with HR Business Partners and the Absence Management vendor, and improving return-to-work timelines.
- Conducted new leave orientations for managers and employees, covering payroll system entries and vendor time-off reporting.
- Established a dedicated mail inbox to ensure timely responses and escalations for leave-related issues to managers and HR Business Partners.
Sr. HR Service Center Representative
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Provided expert HR support and problem resolution to employees and managers across all functional areas, including onboarding, pay, benefits, 401K, I9 verification, tuition waivers, policy interpretation, and time management.
- Spearheaded the implementation of the HR Service Center Knowledgebase System (KCS), creating and reviewing articles for quality and accuracy, and reporting on key metrics to enhance self-service capabilities.
- Played a pivotal role in the successful start-up of a new HR Service Center serving over 22,000 employees, developing new processes for customer resolution and contributing to new HR software implementation.
- Designed and implemented comprehensive call center metrics and quality standards to optimize service delivery and enhance customer satisfaction.
- Mentored and trained new employees on customer service best practices and dispute resolution, fostering a high-performing team environment.
- Revised policies and updated procedures for the annual employee handbook, ensuring compliance and clarity for all staff.
HR Benefits Coordinator
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Coordinated and implemented newly eligible enrollment and annual benefit open enrollment.
- Processed family status changes for employees in accordance to IRS regulations for flexible benefit plans. Served on a committee to review appeals for status change request occurring outside of guidelines.
- Conducted meetings for groups of newly-eligible employees. Explained aspects of benefit plans including basic medical and dental/vision plans, disability plans and 401k retirement savings plans.
- Completed employer statements for short-term disability claims to assist the disability carrier.
- Interfaced with insurance carriers for issue resolution.
HR Payroll Coordinator
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Processed payroll on a semi-monthly cycle including calculating and entering data in a timely and effective manner. Verified data entry for compliance and accuracy.
- Managed time and attendance adjustments and employee issues.
- Coordinated the employee notifications and delivery of awards for the employee recognition program.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Communication
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Tempe, AZ01.1998
Skills
- Leave Administration: FMLA, ADA Accommodations, USERRA, State-Specific Leave Programs (including State Paid Leave)
- Benefits Administration: Open Enrollment, COBRA, Health & Welfare Plans
- HR Systems & Reporting: HRIS (Lawson, PeopleSoft, ADP, UKG), Custom Reporting, Data Analysis
- HR Operations: Employee Support, Compliance Management, Policy Interpretation, HR Service Delivery, Call Center Operations
Certification
Certified Leave Management Specialist (CLMS), Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) https://bcert.me/bc/html/show-badge.html?b=fnnrlrac
Timeline
Leave of Absence Coordinator
CommonSpirit Health/Dignity Health
07.2021 - Current
Leave Analyst
Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health
01.2018 - Current
Leave Specialist
TRC Staffing
09.2017 - 12.2018
Lead HR Employee Services Representative (Leave of Absence)
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2014 - 09.2017
Sr. HR Service Center Representative
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2010 - 01.2014
HR Benefits Coordinator
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2008 - 01.2010
HR Payroll Coordinator
APOLLO EDUCATION GROUP, INC
01.2007 - 01.2008
Bachelor of Arts - Communication
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
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