Overview:

The Benefits Specialist plays a vital role in ensuring employees understand and utilize their workplace benefits effectively. Responsibilities include benefit plan administration, employee relations as it relates to benefits, and serving as the liaison between HR and the benefit broker companies, ensuring smooth and efficient business operations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Benefits Administration: Handles all aspects of employee benefit programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other perks.
• New Hire Onboarding: Assists new employees in understanding their benefit options, enrollment processes, and eligibility criteria.
• Employee Education: Conducts benefits orientations, workshops, and one-on-one consultations to educate employees about their benefit options and help them make informed decisions.
• Claims Assistance: Guides employees through the process of filing benefit claims, resolving issues, and advocating on their behalf with insurance providers.
• Compliance: Reviews, tracks, and documents compliance, ensures that benefit programs comply with federal and state regulations, such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
• Best Practices: Maintains knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources, talent management, and employment law
• Vendor Management: Collaborates with benefit providers, insurance carriers, and other vendors, resolve issues, and ensure a high level of service for employees.
• Open Enrollment: Coordinates the annual open enrollment process, including communications, enrollment meetings, and system updates.
• Data Management: Maintains accurate records of employee benefit elections, deductions, and eligibility status in iSolved HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) database.
• Problem Resolution: Handles employee inquiries, complaints, and escalations related to benefits in a timely and professional manner.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have a solid understanding of benefits regulations of federal and state regulations governing employee benefits, such as ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, and ACA.

• Must have a strong ability to analyze data to identify issues, trends, and make data-driven recommendations for improving benefit programs.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey complex benefit information to employees at all levels.
• Must have a strong focus on customer service, providing exceptional service to employees, resolving issues promptly, and fostering positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• A high level of attention to detail is essential to accurately administer benefits, maintain records, and ensure compliance with regulations of multiple or single benefit plans.
• Must be able to manage multiple deadlines, prioritize assignments and work overtime as needed.
• A commitment to continuous learning, staying current with industry trends, legislative changes, and best practices in benefits administration through professional development.
• Must have high ethical standards and commitment to safeguarding sensitive employee information, acting with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Experience with Principal is preferred.
• 3 years relevant experience, preferably medical benefits in a deadline-driven environment.