Benefits Specialist

Salary: DOE

Position Close Date: April 1st, 2025 at 4:00PM 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

 Benefits Administration

• Administer and manage employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives.
• Process enrollments, terminations, and employee changes while ensuring accuracy and compliance with plan requirements.
• Assist in benefits-related employee communications, including open enrollment planning and execution, benefit education sessions, and new hire orientation materials.
• Work closely with vendors and third-party administrators to resolve benefits-related issues and provide timely responses to employee inquiries.
• Conduct regular audits of benefits records to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Support compliance efforts, ensuring adherence to ACA reporting, COBRA notifications, and ERISA guidelines.

Leave of Absence Administration

• Oversee and manage FMLA, ADA, short-term disability, long-term disability, workers’ compensation, and personal leaves of absence.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employees, managers, and HR representatives regarding leave eligibility, processes, and accommodations.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and tribal leave laws, maintaining accurate leave documentation and records.
• Partner with HR, payroll, and legal teams to facilitate return-to-work processes, reasonable accommodations, and leave tracking.
• Provide training and guidance to managers regarding leave policies, ADA accommodations, and best practices for supporting employees on leave.

Data Analysis & Compliance

• Analyze benefits utilization trends, costs, and employee participation to provide recommendations for improvements and cost-saving opportunities.
• Maintain accurate HRIS benefits data, ensuring proper documentation and reporting for audits and compliance purposes.
• Generate and analyze reports related to benefits costs, leave trends, and workforce planning.
• Stay updated on changes in federal, state, and tribal employment laws that may impact benefits and leave policies, making recommendations for updates as necessary.

Employee Support & Communication

• Provide direct employee support for benefit plan inquiries, claims assistance, and leave administration.
• Develop and deliver educational resources, including FAQs, guides, and presentations, to enhance employee understanding of benefits and leave programs.
• Collaborate with HR leadership to improve benefits offerings and increase employee engagement in wellness and benefits programs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in HR, benefits administration, or leave management.
• Strong knowledge of leave administration processes, compliance requirements, and benefits regulations.
• Advanced proficiency in HRIS platforms, Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and reporting tools), and data analysis.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and provide insights for decision-making.
• Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information with discretion.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to interact effectively across all levels of the organization.

Preferred Qualifications:

• HR certification (PHR, SHRM-CP, CEBS) preferred.
• Experience working with benefits vendors and third-party administrators.
• Familiarity with self-funded benefit plans and wellness program initiatives.
• Understanding of tribal law and its impact on employee benefits and leave policies is a plus.
• Experience working in tribal organizations, gaming, healthcare, or hospitality industries is preferred.