Disability Unit Manager

Salary : $124,371.48 - $151,190.97 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 24/03-0768-OC
Department: Human Resources Department (HRD)
Opening Date: 03/11/2024
Closing Date: Continuous
Bargaining Unit: 50
Position Information
Expand your HR leave administration and disability management experience with the County of Sonoma!
Starting salary up to $72.44/hour ($151,190/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*
What We Offer
Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Bilingual Premium Pay* - An additional $1.50/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for fluent bilingual positions
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education

Join Our Team
The Human Resources Department (County HR) is a team of 60+ employees who provide human resources and risk management services to the County's 28 departments. These diverse services include benefits, classification plan management, disability management, employee and labor relations, equal employment opportunity (EEO), HR information systems, occupational safety and health, recruitment and examination, risk management, and workforce development. Under our director's leadership, our mission is to be a trusted strategic partner, providing County departments with HR services that work to effectively recruit, develop, and retain an outstanding workforce that is committed to providing quality public service. We value customer service, collaboration, professionalism, consistency, proactive planning, flexibility, and innovative problem-solving. County HR is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, where individuals from all backgrounds are welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
As an integral part of our HR team, our County's Disabilities Management (DM) Unit oversees the administration of leaves of absence (catastrophic, medical, military, occupational/non-occupational, short/long-term, etc.) in agreement with state and federal provisions, County policies, and negotiated union contracts. The Unit's supportive services also include the administration of reasonable accommodations that are compliant with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and Fair Employment Housing Act (FEHA), job-related medical screening tests and Job Demands Analysis (JDAs), temporary transitional duty assignments, the County's self-insured workers' compensation and long-term disability programs, and statistical claims reporting. To support this complex body of work, our DM Manager supervises a team of six professional and technical staff and works with outside consultants, third-party administrators, and legal counsel. Additional responsibilities include:

• Planning, organizing, and overseeing the Unit's budget, personnel analysis, and other administrative functions
• Triaging complex, bogged down, escalated, or problematic cases; and recommending or obtaining additional resources from our executive leadership and/or department heads in client departments, as needed
• Reviewing and authorizing settlement requests within their authority, gathering appropriate information and presenting it to HR executive leadership for the County Board of Supervisors (BOS) review, and editing and preparing BOS closed session items
• Developing and delivering training to HR's staff and county-wide employees
• Overseeing DM staff project work to review and advise on issues and processes such as policy updates and development, mental health training and events, etc.
• Incorporating industry best practices in the development of policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to promote full utilization of the County's human resources and minimize costs and risks associated with employee absences and disability management

Through consultation, analysis, and recommendations, this is a position of authority. In this role, you will work collaboratively with other managers within HR, and assist other department management and division heads in addressing and resolving challenging situations, in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, County guidelines, policies, procedures, and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).
What You Bring
As our next DM Manager and ideal candidate, you will demonstrate that you can quickly assess problems with an empathetic, solution-oriented, equity-focused approach. You have a high level of integrity, can diffuse difficult situations as they arise with tact and diplomacy, and can establish credibility and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with a diverse base of internal and external contacts across all levels of an organization. You are highly proficient in leave administration and possess:

• Extensive experience working with the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), California Family Rights Act (CFRA), California Pregnancy Disability Leave (CPDL), Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and California Healthy Families Act and Kin Care provisions
• Excellent leadership skills and the ability to effectively assess current practices and policies, establish unit priorities, direct the work of others, and propose sensible operational improvements
• Proven long-term planning capabilities and experience incorporating industry best practices in the development of guidelines, policies, and procedures
• The ability to thoroughly address complex issues in a comprehensible manner, and articulate how they relate to, and sometimes compete with, one another
• Public sector experience in workers' compensation and disability management and an understanding of working in a collective bargaining environment
• Experience effectively addressing barriers to communication and supporting employees with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, especially those from historically marginalized groups of people
• The ability to facilitate meetings and confidently present, respond to, and collaborate with groups, including staff, executive management, department heads, union representatives, and employees

Experience writing reports and presenting findings is required, bilingual English/Spanish skills are desirable, and diverse lived experiences are highly valued. Certifications and training in HR, mediation, and/or workplace investigations are also desirable. Please note, that within one year of hire, the DM Manager must obtain Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM) status.
Additionally, a sense of humor is a must! This is a serious position, and while the HR topics we work with are confidential and support integral services, we truly find opportunities and reasons to enjoy our time together.
While the position's hours are typically Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and work is performed in an office environment, depending upon investigative and operational needs, the DM Manager must also be willing to work outside of typical hours and during emergencies and other critical events.
Bring Your Commitment to Public Service to the County of Sonoma
The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides our communities, please visit and
This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title of the position is Risk Management Analyst III.
*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the and our Bilingual positions require English and Spanish skills at either the basic (conversational) or fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. Applicants who wish to be considered for a bilingual position must indicate their level of skill in the required supplemental questionnaire. An examination will be conducted before employment in a bilingual position to confirm the level of skill in this area.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of course work, training, and/or work experience which clearly demonstrates possession of the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, this includes:
Education: completion academic course work in public administration, business administration, accounting, law, economics, safety, industrial engineering, risk management, and/or other related courses. A bachelor's degree related to one of these fields is highly desirable.
Experience: Four years of professional level experience working with occupational safety and health programs, workers' compensation, casualty or employee benefit insurance, or loss control programs, preferably with a public agency and/or in a risk management program. This should include substantial experience directly related to area of assignment.
License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Thorough knowledge of: principles and practices, legal statutes, civil procedures, and administrative regulations relating to disability management, workers' compensation, liability, occupational health and safety, employee benefits and insurance, and related non-monetary compensation; claims adjusting, investigation, and administrative techniques necessary to carry management of claims from initial report to settlement or closure.
Considerable knowledge of: medical and technical terminology used in individual injury cases; operations and functions of County government including budget methods, program analysis, employee relations, and group dynamics; written and oral communications including language mechanics, syntax and English composition; research methodology, report writing, basic statistics, and actuarial principles and appropriate applications; modern office methods, procedures, and computer applications related to work, including methods of graphical presentation; management of electronic database systems; and principles and methods of supervision and training.
Ability to: manage and direct a major risk management function; direct, supervise and train employees; use judgment and discretion to integrate technical knowledge with interpersonal and communication skills dealing with the public, County management personnel, employees, attorneys, medical providers, and others in a manner consistent with the policies, practices, and procedures of the organization; research, understand, interpret, and apply specific rules, laws, ordinances, and policies to applicable risk management programs; plan and organize research and statistical reports relating to various aspects of risk management, budget, general management matters; evaluate results and recommend corrective measures using principles of inductive and deductive reasoning; and where applicable, effectively present conclusions before advisory and policy bodies; organize, develop, and prepare claims for assignment to counsel, trial and pretrial conferences; prepare informational materials, brochures, and newsletters to relate complex regulations and data to employees and officials; organize and develop effective programs for the reduction of occupational hazards and accident prevention; facilitate consensus and negotiate resolution of complex problems involving a variety of claimants, individuals, employee groups, consultants, carriers and service providers; analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action working independently and with either oral or written direction.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and...