New

HR Assistant - Leave Administration

Metropolitan Council
$68,078.40 - $110,489.60 Annually
medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement plan, pension
United States, Minnesota, Saint Paul
390 Robert Street North (Show on map)
Oct 09, 2025
WHO WE ARE We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website. We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Human Resources works with all divisions of the Metropolitan Council to provide proactive solutions for the Council's workforce needs in the areas of recruitment, labor relations, benefits, training, organizational development, occupational health, and wellness. Occupational Health manages medical, disability, leaves of absence, and drug/alcohol testing programs for the Metropolitan Council. How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region: The HR Assistant supports the Employee Resource Center in the Occupational Health unit with disability and leave management program administration. This position reviews and processes all leave of absences including Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Minnesota Paid Leave (MPL), and other leaves, ensuring adherence to statutory and standard operating procedures. The HR Assistant also responds to HR related requests, processes data entries in the HRMS/PeopleSoft system, and assists employees with inquiries. The person in this position must be self-directed, detail focused with strong communication skills, able to work in a fast-paced environment, and able to shift priorities frequently to service the needs of the team. This position is eligible for a hybrid (both remote and onsite) telework arrangement. Candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin. What you would do in this job Respond to incoming inquiries by phone and email, providing quality customer service that is accurate, complete, and timely. Provide government mandated leave information to internal customers. Review leave of absence (LOA) eligibility. Process and approve leave requests in accordance with Council policies and federal/state leave laws, ensuring all documentation is complete and accurate. Enter leave of absence data into the PeopleSoft HRMS system. Review requests and escalate time sensitive and/or high impact inquiries to the appropriate specialist, supervisor or manager. Follow-up on outstanding issues to ensure resolution and communicate status of requests to customers. Communicate with HR staff as necessary related to status changes and deadlines. Input data entries into the PeopleSoft HRMS system ensuring accuracy of data. Review data requests; collaborate and partner with internal Employee Resource Center staff. Maintain accurate and confidential files according to applicable federal, state or Council procedures. Perform other duties as assigned. What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications) Any of the following combinations of completed education (in human resources, business administration, legal studies, or closely related field) and experience in occupational health: High school diploma/GED with five years of experience Associate degree with three years of experience Bachelor's degree or higher with one year of experience What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications): Experience with family, medical, and occupational health leave administration. Experience responding effectively to a high level of inquiries. Experience with Application Xtender, or a similar imaging/indexing system. Experience with PeopleSoft and/or running report queries. Experience or familiarity with medical terminology and disability management programs. Experience handling confidential data and associated documentation. Experience working with a diverse workforce and diverse communities. What knowledge, skills and abilities you should have within the first six months on the job: Knowledge of the Council's leave management policies and procedures. Ability to read and interpret documents such as federal and state regulations, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine correspondence. Ability to effectively communicate with individuals, or small groups of customers, regarding procedures and regulations. Excellent customer service skills, including tact, courtesy, consistency and empathy. Intermediate to advanced computer skills, including PeopleSoft and Microsoft Office applications. Ability to adjust to changing priorities and ability to work independently. Ability to multi-task and problem solve. Ability to work with a diverse customer group in a positive, professional manner. Integrity to maintain highly confidential and time sensitive information. What you can expect from us: We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area. We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement. We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance. More about why you should join us! Additional information Union/Grade: AFSCME/Grade E FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Safety Sensitive: No What your work environment would be: You would perform your work in a standard office setting. Work may sometimes require travel between your primary work site and other sites. What steps the recruitment process involves: We review your minimum qualifications. We rate your education and experience. We conduct a structured panel interview. We conduct a selection interview. Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then: If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a background check which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation. If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a criminal background check if the job you're applying for is safety sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers or transit fare cards. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position. IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration. The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply. If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us .