HR & Leave of Absence Specialist

Description

About the Role
URM Stores is seeking a knowledgeable and compassionate HR & Leave of Absence Specialist to manage and support employee leaves and accommodations across Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon — with a primary focus on Washington State’s complex leave programs. This role combines technical expertise in leave law compliance with a genuine commitment to employee care, ensuring every case is handled with accuracy, empathy, and confidentiality.

You’ll partner with employees, managers, and HR colleagues across warehouse and retail operations, supporting all aspects of the leave lifecycle and contributing to HR initiatives that strengthen compliance, efficiency, and the overall employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert on Washington State leave and accommodation laws, including PFML, FMLA, ADA, Military Leave, and other applicable regulations.
• Administer the full lifecycle of employee leaves, including intake, eligibility, documentation, coordination of pay and benefits, and return-to-work processes.
• Provide clear, compassionate guidance to employees and managers regarding leave timelines, accommodations, and reinstatement.
• Ensure strict confidentiality when handling sensitive medical or personal information.
• Collaborate with Payroll, Benefits, and Workers’ Compensation teams to coordinate pay, benefits, and overlapping claims.
• Support HR compliance audits, policy updates, and process improvement initiatives.
• Assist in training managers on leave processes and compliance best practices.
• Stay current on evolving state and federal regulations, recommending updates to policies as needed.

Who You Are

• A subject matter expert in Washington State leave and accommodation laws with 3+ years of hands-on administration experience.
• A trusted HR partner who balances compliance precision with empathy and discretion.
• A collaborative communicator who works seamlessly across HR functions (Workers’ Comp, Benefits, Payroll).
• A detail-oriented problem solver who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments.
• A high-integrity professional committed to confidentiality, consistency, and exceptional service.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience managing multi-state LOA and accommodation programs (with at least 3 years focused on Washington State).
• Strong working knowledge of FMLA, PFML, ADA, HIPAA, and related laws.
• Excellent communication, organization, and case management skills.
• Proficiency with HRIS and case management tools (e.g., Paylocity, Workday, or similar).
• HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP/SCP, or CEBS) strongly preferred.

Confidentiality & Professional Integrity

As a valued member of the Human Resources & Payroll team, you’ll be entrusted with highly sensitive and personal information about employees, applicants, and the organization. Maintaining confidentiality isn’t just policy—it’s a cornerstone of professional integrity and essential to the credibility of the HR function. Our team directly shapes the employee experience and contributes to the organization’s success by upholding the highest standards of confidentiality, professionalism, and service excellence. These values ensure we remain a trusted, credible business partner to everyone we serve.

Due to the sensitive nature of this role, the selected candidate must successfully complete URM’s pre-employment process, including a background check and verification steps.

We work in a supportive team environment and in addition to our amazing culture, our employees enjoy many perks, and below are a few of the highlights of our complete compensation package:

• An employee’s pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, the prevailing minimum wage for the location, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, and business or organizational needs. Salary range $28.00 - $33.00 hour DOE, plus so much more!
• Insurance Benefits – So that our non-union employees have more to take home from their paycheck, URM pays 100% of the Medical/Dental/Vision/RX Insurance premiums for the employee and over 93% for the employee’s dependents!
• 401k Retirement Plan with an amazing Company match up to 9% of your annual salary!
• Subsidized Life Insurance for employees and great rates for the employee’s family.
• Company paid Long-Term Disability insurance.
• Short-Term Disability and Cancer Insurance available.
• Life Flight Insurance at Special Rate.
• Great vacation plan!
• Six Paid Holidays and four Paid Personal Holidays.
• Paid Sick Days.
• Paid Volunteer Service Day! Get paid to volunteer at your favorite non-profit!
• Experience enjoyable Company sponsored activities through events like URM March Madness Brackets, Family Hockey Night with the Chiefs, Holiday Mingle & Jingle with great raffle giveaways, Summer Evening Wine & Music Event, and Winter Break Movie Night, which are just a glimpse of the fun we have to offer for employees and their families!
• Plus, enjoy a variety of Corporate discounts, from gym memberships, cell phone plans, to computer discounts!
• We also offer an Amazing Employee Discount Program at our Company-owned Grocery Stores!!!!

A Legacy of Local Impact Since 1921

For over a century, URM Stores, Inc. has been the powerhouse behind independent grocers throughout the Inland Northwest. Our mission is simple: help local grocers thrive by handling everything from purchasing and warehousing to the timely delivery of top-quality merchandise.

What makes us unique? Our co-operative model means our Member-Owners aren’t just customers, they’re shareholders. We reinvest in their success by returning earnings to our Co-Op members as patronage dividends.

Today, URM employs more than 3,000 dedicated team members, including those at our subsidiaries Rosauers Supermarkets and Peirone Produce.

Ready to Apply?

If you’re passionate about accuracy, compliance, and contributing to a team that positively shapes the employee experience, we invite you to apply! Please include your resume AND a cover letter detailing your interest and how your skills and experience align with this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

URM Stores, Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive. We prohibit discrimination of any kind and are committed to a work environment built on respect, inclusion, and opportunity for all.