HR BENEFITS & LEAVE SPECIALIST

This position is on-site in Hartford
JOB SUMMARY AND PURPOSE:Under the direction of the Director, Human Resources, the HR Benefits & Leave Specialist will be responsible to oversee the day-to-day administration of our employee benefits programs, policies, and end-to-end leave of absence processes. Will serve as the primary subject matter expert and point of contact for corporate staff, salaried and hourly employees navigating health insurance, retirement plans, complex multi-state medical or personal leaves, and company benefit programs.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded from time to time to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary.
Benefits Administration (approx. 50%)• Daily Plan Management: Coordinate daily benefits processing, including new hire enrollments, terminations, beneficiary updates, escalate employee issues with vendors, and qualifying life events.• Employee Support & Communication: Serve as the primary contact for employee inquiries regarding health, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement plans. Develop clear communication materials and lead onboarding orientations.• Open Enrollment: Plan, test, and execute the annual Open Enrollment process, collaborating with parent company, leadership, HRIS provider, and external brokers. • Billing & Vendor Management: Partner with insurance carriers and third-party administrators (TPAs). Audit and reconcile monthly carrier invoices to ensure plan cost-sharing and deductions are accurate.• Payroll Partnership: Collaborate closely with the payroll department to ensure timely, accurate processing of pre- and post-tax deductions, employer contributions, and adjustments.• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local benefit laws and regulations (i.e. ERISA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA); supplies related reporting and audit support.• Company benefit management: responsible for organizing and managing various company benefit programs including: employee assistance programs, tuition reimbursement, service awards, flu shots, and annual company recognition events. Educating, responding to inquires from employees and managers on the company programs.
Leave Administration (approx. 50%)• Case Management: Provide end-to-end management for all leave of absence requests, including FMLA, ADA, Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), Workers' Compensation, and military or parental leaves.• Employee Guidance: Meet with employees to outline leave options, explain obligations (e.g., premium payments while on leave), distribute paperwork packets, and maintain compassionate communication throughout their time away. • Interactive Accommodation Process: Facilitate the interactive accommodation process under the ADA, partnering with managers, HR Manager to assess and implement reasonable workplace accommodations.• Return-to-Work Tracking: Coordinate fitness-for-duty clearances and manage the return-to-work transition, tracking utilized hours alongside payroll and human resources business partners. Ensure timely updates and communication with Supervisors/Manager’s and HRBP’s/HR Manager is compliant with leave laws.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE: Requires an Associate’s degree in Business or related field from a technical college and 3+ years’ experience in benefits administration within a manufacturing environment required; or equivalent combination of education and experience. PHR or SHRM-CP a plus
COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Must be able to effectively communicate with other employees to share information, solves problems, and instructs or trains others. Must have the ability to read and interpret complex legal documents. Must be able to write documents and correspondence. Proven experience in coaching/mentoring supervisors/managers, dealing with difficult conversations and maintaining professionalism during high-stress situations. Bilingual in English/Spanish a plus.
OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Knowledgeable or familiarity with applicable ISO/TS and quality system requirements and policies. Solid computer skills and experience with a HRIS like Ceridian, ADP, Paycom, etc.. Strong organizational and time management skills necessary to prioritize assignments to meet deadlines; ability to react quickly in a fast-paced changing environment.
A full job description is available upon request