Benefits Specialist

The Benefits Specialist serves as an internal resource for coordinating employee benefits and leave of absence administration across Alliance Animal Health's multi-state organization. This position supports the day-to-day administration of employee benefit programs, leave requests, and workplace accommodations while partnering closely with teammates, practice leadership, HR Partners, Payroll, benefit carriers, and third-party administrators.

The Benefits Specialist is responsible for maintaining accurate records, coordinating timely follow up, resolving administrative issues, and providing clear, consistent communication to support a positive teammate experience.

Success in this role requires strong organization and follow through, sound judgment, excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and a working knowledge of employee benefits, leave administration, and applicable compliance requirements.

Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesLeave of Absence Administration

• Serve as the primary internal point of contact for teammates, practice leadership, and HR partners regarding leave of absence processes, case status, and next steps.
• Coordinate leave case activities from initiation through return-to-work or case closure, partnering with the third-party leave administrator to ensure timely follow-up and accurate documentation.
• Monitor active and pending leave cases, track important deadlines, and follow up on outstanding documentation extensions and anticipated return to work dates.
• Support workplace accommodation requests by coordinating documentation, facilitating communication, and escalating matters requiring additional review.
• Coordinate with HR Partners, Payroll, and other internal stakeholders regarding leave-related employee status changes, benefit deductions, return to work requirements, and other administrative matters.

Benefits Administration

• Support the day-to-day administration of employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, and voluntary benefits.
• Process and review benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, eligibility changes, and terminations to ensure accurate and timely administration.
• Respond to teammate inquiries and coordinate with benefit carriers, vendors, and internal partners to resolve eligibility, enrollment, coverage, and other administrative issues.
• Assist with annual open enrollment activities, benefit communications, employee education, and other benefits related initiatives.
• Support benefit audits, eligibility reconciliations, and routine reporting to ensure accurate records.

Compliance and Administrative support

• Maintain working knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local benefit, leave, and accommodation requirements, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, and relevant state leave programs.
• Maintain accurate and confidential benefits and leave records within internal tracking tools, HRIS, and applicable vendor systems.
• Identify and escalate complex cases, compliance concerns, and opportunities to improve administrative processes, communications, and workflows.

Required

• 3+ years of experience in employee benefits administration, leave administration, or human resources with significant benefits related responsibilities.
• Strong working knowledge of employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, and voluntary benefits.
• Experience administering benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, eligibility changes, and resolving employee benefit inquiries.
• Working knowledge of applicable federal and state benefits and leave regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and ADA.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to independently manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex information clearly and professionally.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and the ability to follow issues through to resolution.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, and experience using HRIS or benefits administration systems.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when handling sensitive employee information.

Preferred

• Experience supporting leave of absence administration workplace accommodations and state paid leave programs.
• Experience administering benefits or leave programs across multiple states.
• Experience working with third party administrators, insurance carriers, brokers, or other benefit vendors.
• Familiarity with ADP Workforce Now or a similar HRIS platform.

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