Multi-State Benefits and Leave Administrator

About Berry Law

Berry Law is on a mission to protect the constitutional rights of Americans. We are a veteran-led law firm with a warrior ethos that extends to how we support our team. We believe in excellence, leadership, and service — and we're looking for someone who shares those values to join our HR team.

Position Overview

The Multi-State Benefits & Leave Administrator is a senior-level Human Resources professional responsible for the design, administration, and compliance of all employee benefit programs and leave of absence processes across all states in which the firm employs staff. This role is the firm's subject matter expert on both federal and state-specific benefits and leave law, ensuring that every employee — regardless of their work location — receives accurate, compliant, and equitable administration of their benefits and leave entitlements.

At a 300-employee law firm operating across multiple states, this role carries significant compliance responsibility. The administrator must maintain current knowledge of a rapidly evolving patchwork of state leave laws, paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs, state-specific benefits mandates, and local ordinances — while delivering a seamless, high-quality experience to employees and firm leadership.

This position works closely with the CHRO, Payroll Administrator, Head of Legal Operations, and outside benefits broker to manage risk, control costs, and ensure the firm's total rewards program remains competitive in every market where it operates.

Why This Role Matters in 2026

The regulatory landscape for multi-state employers has reached unprecedented complexity. You aren't just administering plans — you are protecting the firm's reputation, minimizing legal exposure, and ensuring our "warrior ethos" extends to how we care for our own team members. This is a mission-critical role that requires both technical mastery and strategic judgment.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Multi-State Benefits Administration

• Administer all employee benefit programs — medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability (STD), long-term disability (LTD), and supplemental benefits — ensuring plan designs comply with the laws of each state where employees work
• Manage the firm's 401(k) retirement plan, including enrollment, contribution changes, loan processing, hardship withdrawals, and vendor coordination
• Oversee HAS and EAP programs
• Ensure benefit plan documents and required notices are current and distributed in compliance with ERISA and state law
• Coordinate and lead annual open enrollment across all locations, including state-specific communications, required notices, and plan variations
• Reconcile monthly carrier invoices and audit for accuracy; resolve discrepancies with vendors
• Manage relationships with benefits brokers, insurance carriers, and TPAs
• Evaluate benefit plan performance annually and recommend plan design changes to the CHRO
• Administer COBRA for all departing employees and qualifying events across all states
• Ensure compliance with state-mandated benefits including state disability insurance, PFML programs, and mandatory sick leave accruals

Multi-State Leave Administration

Administer all leave programs in full compliance with federal law and the specific laws of every state where the firm employs staff, including:

• Federal FMLA and all state equivalents
• State Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) programs — contributions, claims, and employer reporting
• State Paid Sick Leave laws — track accrual, usage, and carryover rules by state
• ADA Reasonable Accommodations — coordinate interactive process and leave as accommodation
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability — coordinate with state disability programs where applicable
• Parental/Maternity/Paternity Leave — apply the most employee-favorable law in each state
• Military Leave (USERRA) — federal and any applicable state military leave laws
• Pregnancy Accommodation Laws — including PWFA (federal) and state-specific requirements
• Domestic Violence / Crime Victim Leave — required in many states
• Jury Duty, Voting, and Civic Leave — varies significantly by state
• Bereavement Leave — track state mandates
• Firm-specific PTO and leave policies

Additional Leave Responsibilities:

• Serve as the firm's primary subject matter expert on leave law across all jurisdictions
• Manage the end-to-end leave process for employees in all states: intake, eligibility determination, documentation, approval, tracking, and return-to-work coordination
• Apply the most employee-favorable law when federal, state, and local laws overlap
• Coordinate with Payroll on leave pay, PFML benefit integration, and deduction processing during leave
• Partner with the CHRO and Head of Legal Operations on complex or legally ambiguous leave situations

Compliance, Monitoring & Reporting

• Proactively monitor federal and state legislative changes in all jurisdictions — including new PFML programs, paid sick leave expansions, and ADA/PWFA guidance
• Maintain a multi-state compliance calendar tracking filing deadlines, contribution rate changes, and notice requirements
• Prepare and file Form 5500, ACA 1094/1095, state PFML employer reports, and all other required filings
• Ensure all required federal and state labor law postings are current for every work location, including remote employees
• Prepare benefits utilization reports, cost analyses, and multi-state compliance summaries for CHRO and firm leadership

Payroll Coordination & Backup Processing

• Provide accurate benefit deduction data — including state PFML contribution rates — to the Payroll Administrator each pay period
• Audit payroll benefit deductions for accuracy across all states and resolve discrepancies promptly
• Coordinate leave pay calculations with Payroll, including PFML benefit integration with firm-paid leave
• Serve as backup payroll processor in the CHRO's absence, ensuring uninterrupted semi-monthly payroll operations, including timesheet review, wage calculations, tax withholdings, and garnishment processing
• Flag state-specific payroll tax implications of benefit plan changes to the Payroll Administrator and CFO

Employee Communication & Education

• Develop and distribute state-specific benefits communications, enrollment guides, PFML notices, and required postings
• Conduct benefits orientation for all new hires, tailored to their state of employment
• Host open enrollment meetings and Q&A sessions firm-wide
• Train supervisors and managers on leave notification obligations and multi-state compliance

What Success Looks Like

Zero-Defect Compliance: You maintain a perfect compliance record across a complex multi-state landscape, ensuring no penalties or legal risks arise from leave or benefit administration.

Seamless Employee Experience: Employees feel supported and informed during sensitive leave periods, receiving accurate information tailored to their specific state of employment.

Strategic Partnership: You serve as a trusted advisor to the CHRO proactively identifying compliance risks before they materialize and recommending cost-effective solutions that balance legal obligations with employee experience.

Operational Excellence: You seamlessly step into payroll processing during CHRO absences with zero errors or delays, maintaining employee trust and regulatory compliance.

Why Multi-State Experience Is Non-Negotiable

Berry Law operates across multiple states, each with its own leave laws, PFML programs, paid sick leave mandates, and accommodation requirements.

A candidate without demonstrated multi-state experience will face an unacceptable learning curve and expose the firm to significant compliance risk. This role requires someone who has already navigated this complexity — not someone who will learn it on the job.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or CEBS certification strongly preferred
• CLMS (Certified Leave Management Specialist) highly desirable

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years in benefits and leave administration
• Demonstrated experience processing multi-state payroll or serving as payroll backup required
• Multi-state experience required — must have directly administered benefits and leave for employees in 5 or more states
• Experience managing state PFML programs (contributions, claims, employer reporting) required
• Professional services or law firm experience strongly preferred
• Experience with HRIS platforms
• Experience managing benefits broker and TPA relationships

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Expert-level knowledge of ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, PWFA, USERRA, and Section 125
• Demonstrated ability to navigate overlapping federal, state, and local leave laws and apply the most employee-favorable standard
• Strong analytical skills for benefits cost analysis, multi-state reporting, and compliance tracking
• High attention to detail — multi-state compliance errors carry significant legal and financial risk
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills — ability to explain complex, jurisdiction-specific benefits information clearly to employees at all levels
• High degree of discretion and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook); experience with multi-state HRIS systems
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously across multiple jurisdictions
• Self-directed learner — must proactively stay current on rapidly changing state leave and benefits laws without being prompted

What We Offer

• Direct partnership with the CHRO and executive leadership
• Hybrid work flexibility
• Professional development support
• Competitive benefits package
• A mission-driven culture recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of The Best Companies to Work For in 2026
• Meaningful work — you'll directly impact the well-being of 300+ employees and their families

Working Conditions

• Full-time; in-office or hybrid schedule
• Standard business hours
• Occasional travel for vendor meetings, HR conferences, or multi-office firm visits
• Must be available for time-sensitive leave matters that may arise outside standard business hours

Awards

Berry Law has been recognized nationally for both its workplace culture and rapid growth, including:

• 5000: One of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies (six consecutive years)
• Law Firm 500: One of the Fastest-Growing Law Firms in the Nation (five consecutive years)
• Best in Business: Recognized for Veteran Support
• US. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Medallion Award
• Secretary of Defense Pro Patria Award
• Military Times Best for Vets: Employers
• US. News & World Report Best Companies to Work For

Berry Law is an equal opportunity employer.