Benefits and Leave Specialist

About the role

This at-will position within the home office supports the Benefits Manager in the administration of all employees' benefits programs and leave of absences processes, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability, retirement plan, and worker's compensation.

Responsibilities

• Assists Benefits Manager in the administration of employee benefits program such as health insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, workers compensation, employee assistance, retirement, leave of absences, and other plans.
• Aids in the implementation of renewal of contracts with benefit plan providers, auditors, and consultants.
• Prepares and communicates information to employees and former employees about benefit programs, procedures, changes, and government-mandated disclosures.
• Responsible for orienting new hires on the benefits programs and ensuring their timely enrollment.
• Aids in coordinating the annual open enrollment period.
• Communicates with external vendors, plan providers, vendors, auditors, and consultants to ensure and troubleshoot employee enrollments and terminations.
• Assists with reconciling of monthly billing from health vendors for submission to Accounts Payable.
• Prepares, analyzes, and enters benefits data into the HRIS system, including interfacing with payroll with appropriate reports, uploads, and deductions.
• Administers and tracks leaves of absence under FMLA/CFRA/PDL laws, ensuring staff eligibility, verifying qualifying events, assigning leave, including record keeping and invoicing.
• Works with DPO staff to provide 'as needed' training to staff on leave of absence and worker's compensation protocols/laws.
• Maintains agency compliance with ERISA, Worker's Compensation, COBRA, and medical leave laws.
• Maintains accurate leave status tracking in HRIS system.
• Enters appropriate paid leave and approves all timecards for employees out due to leave of absence or worker's compensation injuries.
• Administers and tracks all worker's compensation claims providing support to DPO Generalists as needed.
• Interacts effectively with broker representatives, vendor representatives and worker's compensation claim adjusters in pursuit of benefits and worker's compensation claims administration.

Qualifications

• A typical way of obtaining the knowledge, skills and abilities outlined above is through graduation from high school or an accredited GED program; four (4) plus years of human resources experience with varied administrative responsibility; two (2) years of experience in benefits management.
• California driver’s license & current vehicle insurance/registration if driving; and, Reliable means of transportation capable of passing vehicle safety inspection if more than five years old excluding all modes of two-wheeled transport inclusive of bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles.

Skills

• Benefits management
• LOAs
• Data entry
• Compensation claims
• Decision-making
• Self-discipline
• Organization
• Emotional intelligence
• Communication
• Stress-management
• Conflict-management

Knowledge and Abilities

• Knowledge Of TPCP procedures, rules and regulations and related documents governing DPO.
• Federal and state fair employment laws, regulations and related legislation including Equal Employment Opportunity, Americans with Disabilities Act and FEHA, Fair Employment Act, ADEA, FMLA/CFRA, etc.
• TPCP organization, operations, policies, and mission, vision and values.
• Principles and practices of sound business communication.
• Applicant Tracking and Human Resources Information Systems.
• Standard business software, including word processing and spreadsheet programs.