Human Resources Specialist – Benefits
DESCRIPTION OF JOB:
The Human Resources Benefits Specialist is responsible for the design, implementation, managing, and administration of College benefit programs including, but not limited to group health insurance (medical/dental/vision), ancillary (voluntary life/AD&D, accidental injury, critical illness, hospital indemnity), section 125 – cafeteria plans (HSA, HealthCare FSA, Limited FSA), HRA, 403(b) Plan (NON ERISA), and workplace benefits. Benefit Specialist is responsible for ensuring accurate enrollment, addressing employee inquiries, processing benefit changes, and maintaining compliance with relevant laws, while collaborating with the HR team to promote employee benefits and optimize their overall employee experience. Key duties include benefit plan communication, new hire onboarding regarding benefits, resolving benefit issues, and staying updated on industry regulations. This position is responsible for providing appropriate advice and counsel to employees as they consider benefit enrollment, changes to benefit elections, planning for retirement, etc.
Responsibilities:
Delivery of Benefit Services/Vendor Relationships
- Actively participate in annual benefits renewal process – work with broker, TPAs, and benefit providers and with internal decision makers/resources to support renewal process.
- Manage Employee Annual Enrollment process – develop internal timeline, communication materials, and enrollment tracking procedures; identify methods of delivery and resources to support process.
- Develop and maintain Benefits SharePoint Site and Employee Navigator benefit self-service employee portal to provide a real-time resource to employees.
- Introduce benefit plan to candidates; complete employee benefit orientations to assist employees in making informed benefit decisions.
- Make recommendations to leadership to enhance and/or streamline the College’s benefit programs (i.e. group health provider and plan designs, 403(b) employer match, Tuition Remission, etc.) to attract candidates and retain employees striving towards the College’s goal of making it a great place to work.
- Administer employee paid and unpaid Leaves of Absence; facilitate employee application for disability benefits; apply FMLA and, as applicable, ADA guidelines as needed.
- Complete Workers’ Compensation Claims from initial investigation to closure; together with Assistant Director of Security and Risk Management identify root cause and remedial employee training opportunities; file with WC carrier; apply lost time against FMLA as allowed and maintain accurate OSHA 300 Log.
- Serve as primary, ongoing contact for benefit plan broker, TPAs, and providers and as internal resource to employees’ benefit needs.
- Complete benefit surveys.
- Benefit Policy design, development, analysis and recommendations to senior leadership.
Audit/Compliance
- Administer 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan (NON-ERISA) – oversee payroll to payroll employee contributions and monthly college contributions; work with internal resources and TIAA as needed.
- Administer HSAs, FSAs, and HRAs pursuant to plan and legal requirements.
- ACA – monitor employee eligibility, extend offers of coverage, maintain documentation and process required end of year forms.
- COBRA – ensure employee awareness and timely extension of COBRA benefits to eligible employees and dependents via EBC COBRA-Secure.
- FMLA – apply State and Federal law requirements to employee paid/unpaid and WC leaves of absence.
- Ensure Paid Time Off policies are applied and followed in an equitable fashion (Vacation, Sick and Personal Days, Bereavement, etc.); communicate employee’s use of Paid Time benefits while on a Leave to the Business Office for payroll purposes.
- Perform regular benefit plan audits – take corrective action to resolve discrepancies; utilize audit results to drive changes to internal processes.
Recordkeeping
- Process monthly provider billings and uploads, maintain enrollment data; investigate and resolve all discrepancies.
- Process benefit enrollments, changes, and terminations with providers; ensure correct benefit deductions and cutoffs are inputted to payroll system and updated as needed.
- Process per payroll employee HSA contributions and quarterly College contributions to employee HSAs
- Maintain employee benefit files, ensuring required documents are secured.
Employee Well-being
- Design, organize and manage College wide wellness program which includes but not limited to mental, emotional, physical and financial wellness.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS
Necessary Education or Work Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree with major preferred in Business, Human Resources, or Accounting or equivalent experience.
- Minimum three years’ direct experience in benefits administration.
- Professional certification preferred (e.g. PHR, SPHR, CEBS, etc.).
Required Knowledge and Skills:
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; experience interfacing with employees at all levels.
- Working knowledge of ACA, Cafeteria Plans, and other regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrated customer service focus
- Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
- Self-starter who executes responsibilities and meets deadlines.
Preferred Technology Skills:
- Demonstrated proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and basic computer concepts.
- Experience/Knowledge working with HRISs (e.g., Jenzabar, PeopleSoft, ADP, Employee Navigator etc.) and SharePoint a plus.
- Willingness and demonstrated ability to learn new software programs.
Other Qualifications:
Edgewood College, a Catholic college sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to academic excellence through diversity in its faculty, staff, and students. Candidates must demonstrate multicultural competence – the awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to work with others who are culturally different from self in meaningful, relevant, and productive ways. Applicants from traditionally underrepresented populations including women and racial and ethnic minorities are especially encouraged to apply. The selected candidate must actively support the mission of the College by working with faculty, staff and students to share in our core values – truth, compassion, justice, partnership, and community.
How to Apply
Send a cover letter, resume, and references to:
Edgewood College
Human Resources – HSPB
1000 Edgewood College Drive
Madison, WI 53711
E-mail: humanresources@edgewood.edu
Equal Opportunity Employer