Meet Naomi Schaffhausen

Naomi Schaffhausen is usually the first person a University employee will meet when they call or email the Office of Human Resources Contact Center to ask about an extended leave of absence. Whether the leave is for a personal, medical, or military reason, navigating the logistics and paperwork of a long absence can be daunting. As the leave coordinator for OHR’s new, centralized Leave Administration team, Naomi tries to simplify the process for employees.

Naomi will explain the general process, send the employee any required paperwork, and then assign the case to one of several leave specialists. The specialist, in turn, will work closely with the employee and their supervisor through every step of the leave process until the employee’s eventual return to work.

It's a job that keeps Naomi busy—the Leave Administration team fielded more than a thousand requests in its first four months of operation—but also provides a sense of satisfaction. “It’s a really good feeling to help someone through a vulnerable time,” Naomi says. Employees often need a leave of absence to cope with a stressful situation—for example, a serious health condition for themselves or a loved one, the birth or adoption of a child, or a family member in the military called away on deployment. The Leave Administration team is to guide them through the complexities of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave, and the University’s own leave policies, which can vary by employee group.  

Dealing with the intricacies of the leave process is a team effort. Though the Leave Administration team works remotely, Naomi says they are in constant contact with an open group chat throughout the day, regular virtual meetings, and biweekly meetings in the office, which recently even included a team potluck.  

Despite her busy schedule and the job’s responsibilities, Naomi says the job comes with significant rewards: “Hearing that someone was going through a rough time and working with us was such a good experience for them—it’s always great to hear that.”