SUMMARY

The Benefits Coordinator is responsible for the administration and coordination of employee and retiree benefit programs including health, dental, vision, retirement plans, workers’ compensation, wellness initiatives, and leave management. This position ensures compliance with applicable laws and policies, processes benefit-related transactions, conducts orientations and trainings, and acts as a key point of contact for employee benefit inquiries. The Benefits Coordinator also supports the City’s wellness program and serves as a backup to the Human Resources Analyst and Human Resources Generalist.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Administer and oversee all City benefit programs by conducting new hire orientations, processing enrollments and required paperwork, explaining benefits offered to employees, and ensuring consistency with plan documents and provider contracts.
Enter and maintain all payroll master files for employee benefits/payroll. Review employee benefit changes/additions/terminations submitted by employees and assure all proper documentation is received. Ensure the accuracy of all benefit enrollments in the HRIS system to provide vendors with accurate eligibility and payroll with the proper deductions.
Enroll employee benefit elections in carrier systems, maintain benefit file feeds to carriers, process life status events and perform quality checks of benefit related data in both HRIS system and carrier systems.
Distribute all benefits enrollment materials, determine eligibility and conduct new hire orientation meetings to educate employees on the benefit offerings.
Assist employees regarding benefit claim issues and plan changes. Respond to benefit inquiries from managers and employees on plan provisions, benefit enrollments, status changes and other general inquiries.
Audit and process vendor premium invoices on a monthly basis using automated reports generated by the HRIS and carrier systems, resolve discrepancies by processing and reviewing insurance bills for active, COBRA, and retired employees and working with payroll to ensure proper deductions are made. Enter, track and request payments from finance and ensure the payments are remitted timely.
Manage/Coordinate the Annual Open Enrollment process including partnering with broker to develop communication materials and working with broker in the coordination of meetings to deliver enrollment news/materials to all eligible city employees.
Evaluate and revise internal processes to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Document and maintain administrative procedures for assigned benefits processes. Ensure compliance with applicable government regulations. Educate employees on benefits processes and procedures.
Assist employees with applications for retirement and other retirement issues; meet with retiring employees to execute all the required paperwork regarding benefits available to a retiree. Track and process retiree benefit premiums for elected retiree health and dental coverage, ensure payments are collected in a timely manner and contact retirees to remind them of delinquent payments.
Process and administer all leave-of-absence requests and disability paperwork, including FMLA, Military Leave and Short and Long Term Disability. Effectively interpret FMLA and ADA implications as they relate to leaves of absences/disabilities.
Coordinate the workers’ compensation process by completing reports and forms as needed and sending to required government agencies, work with physicians to get employees released to modified duty and provide modified duty offer letter to employee. Monitor claims and make sure all forms are completed in TML system, and employees receiving checks from TML return the checks to the HR department.
Develop, implement, and coordinate an Employee Wellness Program to ensure wellness activities/initiatives are tied to the medical plans and help promote wellness amongst employees while helping to control costs within the current medical plans and staying within the budget. Coordinate annual employee vaccinations clinics and send out monthly wellness newsletter to employees.
Administer employee off-boarding for benefits. Terminate employees in all carrier systems as well as the payroll and timekeeping systems. Meet with employees to explain when benefits end and provide forms for processing distributions/conversions to individual policies.
Apply knowledge of federal and state laws, rules and regulations surrounding employee benefits such as HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, ADA, Sections 125 and FMLA to the benefit programs and circumstances with employees and policies of the City.
Complete ACA reporting. Respond to numerous inquiries from other cities on pay plan, benefits and other compensation and benefit areas.
Develop and conduct annual training for employees and or managers on benefit processes and procedures such as workers compensation, FMLA and other benefit areas as needed.
Provide/maintain monthly ad hoc reporting as it arises.
Perform job duties of HR Generalist and HR Analyst as back up in their absence.
Ability to interpret and explain complex employee benefit policies and procedures, handle complaints, make decisions and resolve disputes regarding benefit plans/coverage.
Regular and timely attendance is required as well as the ability to get along with others in a professional and cordial manner. Regular attendance during peak demand periods is very critical.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities but provides leadership and training to all departments regarding benefit and payroll issues.

QUALIFICATIONS - To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Associates degree in HR or related field, but experience and/or training/certification may be substituted for education. Three to five years of benefits administration or related experience. Strong background in workers compensation claim processing and leave of absence management. Experience in developing and implementing wellness programs. Must possess a valid Texas Driver’s License.

CERTIFICATIONS (Preferred but not Required):

Desired: Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources or related field Professional-Human Resources
(PHR) certification or (SPHR) Certified Professional
(SHRM-CP) certification
Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) certification.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret papers, periodicals, journals, manuals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to write reports, prepare business letters, expositions, and summaries with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, using all parts of speech. Ability to effectively present information to employees and management..

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with basic mathematical skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with whole numbers. This is crucial for accurately calculating premiums, deductions, and benefit calculations. Additional skills include working with percentages, ratios and proportions.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to analyze benefit programs, compare options, and make informed recommendations based on data and regulations. This involves understanding how different benefits impact employees and employers, and the ability to address complex situations with sound judgement.

SPECIALIZED KSA’S

Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of employment practices and basic human resources practices and principals. Advanced oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated knowledge and skill in the use and application of computer software such as word processing, spreadsheets and HRIS. Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, vendors, outside agencies and the public. Strong knowledge of federal and state laws, rules and regulations surrounding employee benefits such as COBRA, ACA, FMLA, ADA etc. with an emphasis on administering FMLA and tracking FMLA time off and year end ACA reporting.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk; climb or balance; stoop, bend, kneel, crouch or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position is generally indoors, in a typical office setting. Extended screen time is common due to computer use and data analysis. The work area is often quiet like a library or private office.

City of Bedford

New Jobs

Benefits Coordinator