Senior Accommodation Consultant (Read Note Before Applying)

Notes -

• The selected candidate for this role will orient to their role in our office off Greenbriar and La Concha for up to 90 days and will then transition to a hybrid model (4 days remote, 1 day in office, and as needed).

At Houston Methodist, the Sr. Accommodation Consultant is responsible for engaging in the interactive process with colleagues, applicants, and leaders when a colleague or applicant requests a workplace accommodation to perform the essential functions or to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment due to a disability, pregnancy/pregnancy-related condition, or sincerely held religious belief. In addition to performing the duties of the Accommodation Consultant, this position performs HR responsibilities at the subject matter expert level providing expertise and direct support to clients in ADA and recommends solutions to support requests for accommodations. The Sr. Accommodation Consultant position tracks and follows all assigned cases to closure. This position requires a high degree of emotional intelligence and critical thinking/decision-making skills to work with all levels of management and staff in an effective and positive manner. The Sr. Accommodation Consultant serves as a role model within the HR department, providing training and guidance to other HR team members as appropriate.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as primary liaison between operational leadership, colleagues, and any third parties in the resolution of employees' reasonable accommodation requests.
• Works with client managers and staff to coach, train and guide in regard to ADA policy interpretation and procedures, job description accommodation, and legal issues, e.g., FMLA, ADA, etc.
• Partners, in collaboration with HR colleagues around the system, on ADA initiatives.
• Serves as a role model and mentors peers as needed. Provides recommendations on complex cases and identifies new solutions to accommodations.
• Contributes towards improving department score for turnover/retention/employee engagement, using peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides expert guidance to leaders on effective reasonable accommodation management, interactive dialogue, and implementation of accommodations within department service timelines.
• Receives escalated complex documentation and reviews for sufficient and complete information. Ensures clear communication with requester and management to ensure efficient resolution of the accommodation request within department standards.
• Maintains regular contact with colleagues, operational leaders, and other key stakeholders regarding progress and status of accommodations assists in the resolution of any challenges related to the accommodation.
• Works closely with other members of the team and others in teams within HR Benefits, Employee Health, entity Human Resources Departments, & Risk/Legal.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Stays abreast and adheres to current ADA, HIPAA and Worker's Compensation regulations in accordance with Houston Methodist policies. Ensures team practices appropriate accommodation through a thorough understanding and compliance of employment law by providing education and training.
• Employs a proactive approach to identify, develop and deploy continuous improvement initiatives in the optimization of positive outcomes by monitoring and improving the accommodation workflow, supporting peer-to-peer accountability, and identifying solutions via collaboration. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve processes. Includes analysis and reporting of case processing information for the department.
• Ensures all documentation for actions and interactions within the interactive process via the internal Case Management system are accurate and timely.
• Reviews complex documentation for sufficient and complete information.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Educates HR teams on accommodation procedure to gain acceptance and understanding.
• Assists management in the decision-making process of process changes that would have a financial impact. Ensures case documentation includes tangible accommodation costs for monitoring and reporting purposes.
• Uses resources efficiently; does not waste supplies. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks. Assists management with staffing needs including scheduling, time off requests and timekeeping, as appropriate.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Determines trends and makes recommendations to the business on proactive/innovative approaches to accommodations within business units or locations to better assist the business.
• Seeks opportunities to identify self-developmental needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an ongoing basis.
• Fosters a positive and constructive teaching environment by engaging team members in learning opportunities that are valuable and in alignment with business objectives. Provides subject matter expertise of current trends and developments in the areas of ADA, by reading appropriate books, journals, articles and literature and attending professional development activities including webinars and professional association meetings.
• Reviews trends and makes recommendations to Management on proactive/innovative approaches to accommodations within business units or locations to better assist the business.
• Continually researches and evaluates external ADA updates and maintains ongoing awareness of the effects on business environment. Seeks additional opportunities to identify self-developmental needs and take appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an ongoing basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Four years of Human Resources experience with three of those years at a higher level directly related in employee relations, reasonable accommodations, or related HR discipline assisting employees/applicants with accommodation requests, benefits administration, and/or vocational coaching with those who have disabilities.