Human Resources Specialist - Benefits, Compliance & Leaves

ZS is seeking an experienced, compliance-focused Benefits Specialist for the Global Total Rewards team, with primary depth in U.S. federal and state leave law.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary compliance resource for global benefits by monitoring federal, state, and country-level regulatory changes and evaluating impact to plans, policies, and practices.
• Collaborate with benefits providers to help manage short- and long-term disability claims with care and empathy.
• Own complex leave and health-plan exception cases end-to-end.
• Author, revise, and maintain benefits, leave, and time-off policies, including drafting legally sound and consistent language.
• Partner closely with Legal as a technical counterpart by framing issues, preparing background and recommendations, and converting legal guidance into operational policies and processes.
• Own governance and documentation for benefits policies, including version control, approval trails, plan documents, required notices, and audit readiness.
• Serve as subject-matter expert for leave of absence administration, including FMLA, ADA, and state programs such as NY PFL, CA PFL, and NJ TDI.
• Provide regulatory oversight of statutory leave across other countries.
• Administer ADA-related accommodations under applicable laws, including reduced-work-schedule requests, and distinguish medical accommodations from other requests.
• Manage leave and accommodation requests by ensuring documentation completeness, interpreting applicability of leave protections, and guiding employees and managers through the process.
• Use judgment to escalate complex, sensitive, or precedent-setting cases to Legal or HR leadership.
• Advise HR and regional teams on correct policy application, resolving ambiguity and building consistency across countries.
• Track and analyze leave, accommodation, audit, and case data to identify compliance risk, surface policy gaps, and support recommendations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or related field with strong academic record; JD, paralegal credential, or formal compliance training is a plus.
• 5+ years in benefits with demonstrated focus on compliance, regulatory interpretation, and policy drafting.
• CEBS, GBA, CLMS, or similar certification (preferred).
• Ability to independently author clear, compliant policy language, with writing samples or a policy portfolio available.
• Proven expertise in U.S. leave administration and accommodations, including FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA.
• State-specific program experience, including NY PFL, CA PFL, and NJ TDI.
• Working knowledge of the benefits regulatory landscape (examples include ERISA, ACA, COBRA) and comfort navigating multi-country statutory requirements.
• Experience with intermittent and long-term leaves, interpreting medical certifications, and managing return-to-work processes.
• Experience supporting multi-country/global benefits programs and policy harmonization.
• Demonstrated success partnering with Legal or compliance functions on substantive regulatory matters.
• Familiarity with HRIS/HCM and case documentation best practices, including Dayforce, SAP, or SuccessFactors.
• Strong communication skills and discretion with confidential information.
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to manage ambiguity in novel or precedent-setting scenarios.
• No visa sponsorship: candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.

Technologies

• Dayforce
• SAP
• SuccessFactors

How You’ll Grow

• Cross-functional skills development and custom learning pathways
• Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities
• Internal mobility paths that support growth through s-curves, individual contribution, and role expansions

Perks & Benefits

• Comprehensive total rewards package supporting health and well-being, financial future, time away, and professional development
• Robust skills-building programs
• Multiple career progression paths
• Internal mobility
• Deeply collaborative culture

Hybrid Working Model

• Work from home and on-site presence at clients/ZS offices for the majority of the week

Travel

• Travel is required for client-facing ZS roles based on project and client business needs
• Some projects may be local, but client-facing ZSers should be prepared to travel as needed

Application Requirements

• Online application required
• Full set of transcripts required to be considered (official or unofficial)