Benefits Specialist

Position Summary

The Benefit Specialist is responsible for administering and supporting all employee benefit programs, including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), and leave programs such as FMLA, Workers Compensation incidents and other statutory or company-sponsored leaves.

This role services as a primary point of contact for employees and ensures accurate, timely, and compliant processing of benefit and leave-related transactions.

"Has minimum necessary access to Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) by Job Description/Role."

Key Duties and Responsibilities


* Administer and manage group health, dental, vision, life, disability, and 401(k), including complex enrollments, life events, and compliance reporting.


* Respond to employee inquiries regarding benefits eligibility, plan provisions, claims and coverage issues.


* Process benefits enrollments, changes, and terminations.


* Act as primary liaison between the organization and benefits vendors or third-party administrators to resolve escalated issues.


* Prepare and maintain documentation related to benefit plans and leave administration in compliance with applicable federal and state regulations.


* Analyze data trends and employee feedback to recommend enhancements or changes to benefit offerings.


* Support benefits renewal processes, including reviewing proposals and negotiating contracts.


* Support with benefits-related audits, including trust benefit audits, monthly employee deduction audits, 401(k) audits,


* Coordinate and manage all leave of absence programs including: FMLA, State-mandated leaves, personal leaves, and company-sponsored leaves policies.


* Oversee and manage Workers' Compensation claims, coordinating with external claims managers and tracking incidents through resolution.


* Manage annual Workers' Compensation Audit with third-party vendor.


* Coordinate and conduct benefits program education sessions throughout the year with employees and managers.


* Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications


* High School diploma or GED required.


* 2+ years of experience in benefits administration or a related HR role.


* Strong understanding of federal and state regulations governing benefits, including ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, and FMLA.


* Excellent communication, problem-solving and organizational skills.


* Proficiency in HRIS and benefits management with the Workday platform.


* Highly organized, self-motivated, and detail orientated.


* High proficiency with Microsoft Excel.


* Ability to absorb new information and processes quickly.


* Effective communication with employees and management of all levels.

Preferred Qualifications


* Bachelor's degree in human resources or business administration, or related field preferred.


* Experience with Workday, ADP or other benefits/HRIS platf...