Benefits Specialist I

About the role

Based in Los Angeles or Washington D.C., the Benefits Specialist I will administer and maintain the Firm's benefit plans, conduct benefits orientations, process payroll deductions and journal entries, and create and audit spreadsheets used to pay monthly invoices to vendors. This role shares a rotation of recurring operational duties and serves as a key point of contact for day-to-day benefits questions, reporting to the Manager, Benefits.

Responsibilities

• Plan Administration & Employee Service
  • Provide day-to-day benefits administration across medical, dental, vision, and supplemental plans.
  • Serve on the rotation covering the Benefits inbox, phone line, and BAS activity, responding to benefits and basic retirement plan questions.
  • Keep the Firm's benefits materials and communications updated.
  • Coordinate and conduct benefits orientation meetings for staff and associates (generally twice weekly).
  • Coordinate and conduct open enrollment meetings and assist with renewals and vendor implementations.
• Payroll, Deductions & Invoicing
  • Participate in the deduction-calculation (dedcalc) and journals process on the 15th and end of month, including auditing reports and CMS entries for partners, foreign, and U.S. staff/associates.
  • Create and audit spreadsheets to process monthly vendor invoices.
  • Enter benefit adjustments for employees on leave of absence and verify new hires are set up for correct payroll deductions.
  • Complete weekly carrier transmissions and GVUL imports and confirmation statements on the established monthly schedule.
• Leave, Compliance & Reporting
  • Administer leave-of-absence premium billing, including invoices to employees on unpaid leave, 100% premium notices, and return-to-work catch-up invoices.
  • Track hours of part-time employees to determine Affordable Care Act (ACA) eligibility.
  • Ensure benefit eligibility and associated premiums are correctly deducted for eligible employees in the international offices.
  • Handle FSA reporting, LTD letters, and the San Francisco Health Care Ordinance filing on the appropriate schedule.
  • Support compliance requirements, including 5500 filings, audits, and required notices, and maintain updated desk procedures.
• General
  • Draft and update employee-facing benefits communications and training materials.
  • Work on special projects as assigned and perform a variety of tasks as required.

Requirements

• Highly organized to effectively plan, track, evaluate, and follow up on multiple priorities for multiple people.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, managing recurring deadlines within a shared rotation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a sense of urgency around customer service.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish rapport and credibility with all levels of management, employees, and vendors.
• High level of integrity and ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to work overtime as necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 2 years of employee benefits experience.
• Compliance with legal requirements and knowledge of benefits laws and regulations, including COBRA, HIPAA, and ERISA.
• Strong Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, and Excel skills.
• Knowledge of PeopleSoft/Oracle and Microsoft Office applications. Workday experience is a plus.
• Basic accounting skills required.

Pay

The annual compensation range for this position is $70,000–$85,000. The salary offered within this range will depend upon qualifications and other operational considerations.

Benefits

• Health care
• Retirement benefits
• Paid days off, including sick time and vacation time
• Parental leave
• Basic life insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Discretionary, performance-based bonuses