What are the responsibilities and job description for the Benefits and Leave Specialist position at Fora Pathways Inc?
Fora is a nonprofit organization advancing inclusion for individuals with disabilities by building pathways to meaningful work in integrated settings, transforming lives while supporting independence and growth. Learn more: teamfora.org
About Fora
Work changes everything. We make it happen.
Since 1996, we’ve connected individuals with disabilities to meaningful employment by partnering with organizations that expect both performance and purpose. We are a multi-region workforce model supporting operations across New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Our teams are integrated into daily operations, maintaining facilities, supporting office functions, managing mailrooms, and more.
We operate across a wide range of services, including facilities support, administrative operations, warehouses, call center services, and other essential functions.
At Fora, employment is more than a job. It’s a foundation for independence, confidence, and dignity, expanding what’s possible in the workplace and beyond, and shaping how we work every day.
Position Summary
The Benefits & Leave Specialist is a highly relational, employee-facing operational role responsible for delivering benefits administration through an employee-centered and accessibility-focused lens. This front-facing position plays a key role in supporting employees, managers, and HR leadership by ensuring accurate, responsive, and compliant administration of employee benefits and leave programs across a mission-driven workforce environment.
The Benefits & Leave Specialist serves as a primary point of contact for employee benefits and leave support, helping employees navigate enrollment, leave processes, benefit questions, and related programs with professionalism, empathy, and clear communication. The role also supports open enrollment, employee engagement initiatives, compliance reporting, vendor coordination, and benefits systems administration.
This position requires outstanding relationship-building skills, attention to detail, operational follow-through, and the ability to communicate complex information in a clear and accessible manner to employees with diverse backgrounds, communication styles, and support needs.
Key Responsibilities
Employee Support & Benefits Communication
- Serve as a primary point of contact for employee benefits and leave-related questions and support needs
- Provide responsive, professional, and employee-centered support to employees, managers, and external partners
- Educate employees on benefit offerings, enrollment processes, leave programs, and available resources using clear and accessible communication
- Support employees through onboarding, benefits enrollment, qualifying life events, leave requests, and return-to-work processes and offboarding
- Conduct benefits onboarding sessions and employee education meetings in both group and individual settings
- Develop, update, and distribute employee-facing benefits communications and materials
- Support communication accessibility ensuring benefits information is understandable and accessible to diverse employee populations
Benefits Administration
- Administer employee benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, flexible spending, COBRA and related benefit offerings
- Coordinate benefits enrollments, status changes, terminations and related processes while ensuring accuracy and timely follow-up
- Maintain accurate employee benefits records within HCM and benefits administration systems
- Support annual open enrollment planning, coordination, employe communications, and onsite enrollment support
- Assist with benefits plan renewals and support the evaluation of plan options, employee feedback, and operational needs in partnership with HR leadership
Leave Administration Support
- Monitor leave activity and facilitate communication throughout the leave process including FMLA, disability leaves, paid family leave, workers’ compensation, and return-to-work processes
- Support implementation and ongoing coordination of third-party leave administration services
- Provide guidance and support to employees and managers throughout the leave process while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism
Employee Engagement & Organizational Support
- Support initiatives to strengthen employee engagement, recognition and retention. Current programs include employee feedback and engagement surveys and organizational events in partnership with HR leadership
- Develop and co-lead onboarding sessions and HR related training and employee education initiatives
Compliance & Reporting
- Monitor benefits and leave administration activities and reporting processes
- Administer and distribute required notices, filings, and plan documentation in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations
- Support compliance-related reporting and documentation requirements including ERISA, OSHA 300, COBRA, leave administration documentation, census reporting, and related recordkeeping
- Maintain confidentiality and accuracy of employee information and benefits records
Vendor & Systems Coordination
- Serve as day-to-day contact for benefits vendors, brokers, third-party administrators, and leave administration partners
- Support benefits system administration within ADP Workforce Now and related systems
- Monitor benefits data feeds, eligibility reporting, and carrier connections to support data accuracy and timely issue resolution
- Coordinate with vendors and internal stakeholders during benefits system updates, feed implementations, and process changes
Required Qualifications
- Demonstrated commitment to providing responsive, employee-centered support in a professional environment
- Experience serving as a resource and support to employees with benefit and leave plans and programs
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly, professionally, and accessibly to employees with diverse backgrounds and support needs
- Strong relationship-building, organizational, and follow-through skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, maintain accuracy, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to support benefits and leave-related issue resolution
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience using HCM systems and/or benefits administration systems
- Ability to interpret benefits information, maintain accurate records, and support benefits-related problem solving
- Knowledge of applicable benefits and leave regulations including FMLA, COBRA, ERISA, ADA, workers’ compensation, and related compliance requirements
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee information
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with ADP Workforce Now
- Experience supporting benefits or leave administration in government contracting, prevailing wage, or similarly regulated environments preferred
- Experience supporting diverse, multilingual, and disability-inclusive workforces preferred
- Spanish language skills are a plus
- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, CEBS, or related certifications are a plus
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred
- 2 – 3 years of progressively responsible experience in benefits administration, leave administration, HR operations, or related employee support functions preferred
- Equivalent combinations of education, training, and relevant experience will be considered
Work Environment & Physical Requirements
- This is a hybrid role with flexibility required based on organizational and workforce needs
- Following onboarding, the position is generally expected to work onsite 2–3 days per week, with additional onsite presence required during open enrollment, trainings, employee engagement initiatives, and other organizational activities
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position and work at a computer for extended periods of time
- Travel to work locations throughout New York and New Jersey is required as needed
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role
Reasonable Accommodations
Fora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application process and throughout employment. If you require an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, perform essential job functions, or access employment benefits, please contact Human Resources.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Fora is committed to building an inclusive workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. Fora provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
Salary : $65,000 - $75,000