Human Resources Benefits Specialist

Job Summary

JOB DESCRIPTION: Benefits Specialist

Essential Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain benefits standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Perform routine-to-complex duties in support of employee health and welfare benefits programs and services; determine eligibility for new and continuing benefit program participants including employees, retirees, COBRA qualifiers and eligible dependents.
• Interpret and explain rules, regulations, policies, procedures; serve as an informational resource to District personnel; respond to inquiries, resolve issues and conflicts and provide information concerning District policies and procedures, negotiated agreements, and employee benefits; assist in solving unique problems of district employees.
• Assist in organizing and administering the Benefits Insurance programs for active and retired employees according to established District policies and procedures, federal and state laws.
• Prepare benefit information for new and returning employees; schedule and conduct individual and group employee orientations concerning benefit programs and services; respond to inquiries and provide information concerning benefits coverage, changes, policies and timelines.
• Coordinate open enrollment, which includes collaborating with vendors, notifying employees, updating employees on PEEHIP (state health) requirements and timelines for changes.
• Serve as a benefits’ liaison between plan participants, insurance representatives, budget/finance, and payroll; resolve discrepancies and concerns as necessary; reconcile insurance billings and collect and arrange for payments; review and audit insurance billings for accuracy.
• Receive, process, and evaluate employee benefits enrollment, leave of absence requests, FMLA applications, sick leave bank and a variety of other mandated forms and applications related to employee health, welfare and leave programs; review for accuracy and completeness; explain and assist employees with completing benefit enrollment and LOA forms; establish and maintain employee records and files.
• Coordinate with ADA personnel to ensure that the intersection of FMLA leaves, ADA, and OJI is recognized and addressed legally and appropriately.
• Schedule and participate in a variety of cross-functional teams to review and assure follow-through on multiple projects, programs and employee issues related to health, welfare, leave and other benefits administration.
• Provide general-to-specialized technical benefits administration expertise to district and site administrators, managers, supervisors and staff regarding employee benefits’ matters.
• Compile data and prepare and maintain a variety of records, logs and reports related to employees, benefits, general benefits information, fringe benefits, LOA, ADA and return-to-work requests, COBRA, retirement and assigned activities; establish, update and maintain records and filing systems.
• Input a variety of employee health, welfare, LOA, ADA and benefits-related data into assigned computer systems; establish and maintain automated records; initiate queries, extract data and generate a variety of computerized lists and reports; verify accuracy of input and output data.
• Assist employees in highly sensitive, confidential and/or emotional situations regarding benefits’ plan options and usage; provide referrals to local agencies for employees in need of a variety of personal support services; provide lists of community services providers, EAP contacts and related agencies to assist employees in exploring opportunities to meet their needs.
• Provide assistance with benefits matters and process a variety of information and applications related to volunteers, retirements, COBRA, ADA, disability and/or accommodations requests, and various special projects as assigned.
• Keep current of changes and trends in human resource benefits administration and technologies; attend in-services, conferences and workshops.
• Assist with audits, compliance reviews, and other mandatory reports.
• Identify, investigate, and resolve issues of concern in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Identify trends, analyze data, and propose areas for improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associates degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, accounting and 4+ years of experience specific to employee benefits/finance.

OR

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, accounting and 3+ years of experience specific to employee benefits/finance.

  HOW TO APPLY: All applicants should complete the State of Alabama on-line application and attach it to the specific job number in order to be eligible for hire. This application can be found on the website https://www.careersalk12education.org/
  Any questions should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at (334) 607-0686 or (334) 223-6730

  (The funding for and duration of this position are finite, Pursuant to the Students First Act of 2011,
  Section 4(3)(b), tenure may not be gained by time served in this position).

  SPECIAL NOTE: The person selected for this position must agree to a background check, be fingerprinted, and pay a $46.20 fee. This is required by law.

  SPECIAL NOTE: For employees starting work after the beginning date of the work term, the salary will be pro-rated and based on the number of contract days left in the school year, divided by the remaining months in the contract year.

  THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. "NO PERSON SHALL BE DENIED EMPLOYMENT OR BE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION IN ANY PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY, SEX, RACE, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, COLOR OR AGE."