BENEFITS SPECIALIST

Job Description

Job Description

Job Function:

Under direction of the Human Resources Director, administers the City’s employee benefit programs including medical, dental, retirement, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, supplemental insurance plans, Family & Medical Leave under the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and functions as City’s designated HIPAA Compliance Officer.

Career Path:

Essential Duties:

1. Ensures compliance with state and federal regulations relating to benefit administration, including HIPAA, Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plans, Medical/Childcare Reimbursement Plan, COBRA and FMLA, and ensures compliance to the policies and procedures of the City’s third-party benefit administrators.
2. Serves as the City’s HIPAA Compliance Officer and primary point of contact for providing information to employees, retirees and former employees on all benefit related questions, including medical, dental, COBRA, retirement, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, supplemental insurance, worker’s compensation, and the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
3. Investigates, analyzes and resolves a wide range of benefits issues, including documentation of the steps taken in the resolution process.
4. Processes all enrollments and terminations in the City’s benefit programs and acts as the primary city administrator of the on-line benefit system including insurance, retirement and COBRA transactions.
5. Coordinate the City’s benefit plans, e.g. group life, medical, dental, vision, working in concert with the carrier’s representatives and claims departments, the payroll department and/or employee for possible payroll deduction changes.
6. Coordinates the City’s Annual Open Enrollment including conducting employee meetings, designing and distributing information and materials, and processing all changes to insurance and flexible spending accounts.
7. Plans and coordinates the annual Health and Benefits Fair and assists in planning and coordinating employee recognition events
8. Plans, develops, recommends and provides for the implementation of a variety of employee wellness and employee assistance programs.
9. Monitors employee benefit costs and makes recommendations regarding plan design and cost containment.
10. Conducts or participates in employee benefits workshops and employee orientation.
11. Case manages all FMLA leave including notifications, certifications, coordination with payroll and tracking of leave.
12. Maintains and creates spreadsheets, databases and filing systems to track enrollments, transactions and coverage levels for benefit plans.
13. Reconciles employee benefit billings for accuracy and conformity with specifications and employee records.
14. Prepares and creates reports for a variety of users and customers and for analysis.
15. Processes benefit changes and works closely with payroll department.
16. Enrolls and/or makes changes to employee 457 and 401A accounts.
17. Answer any inquiries of employees regarding their benefits and/or files; answer any inquiries of verification of employment date, title and confirm salary given to person seeking this verification.
18. Answers telephone and walk-in inquiries related to job information, personnel procedures, and provides other related information.
19. Assists the Chair of the General Employees’ Pension Board with the Board meeting agenda, and attachments for Trustee Agenda packets. Act as liaison with Actuary and/or Custodian regarding monthly retiree payments, disbursements, etc.
20. Works with Actuary and other appropriate vendors in obtaining forms of retirement benefits available and notifying employees electing to retire from City. Coordinate with Actuary, Pension Board and departing employees regarding refund of their contributions to the Fund.
21. Maintain contact and correspond with City retirees when necessary. Maintain retiree files of current addresses, benefits, benefit changes due to age and monitor changes and notify insurance carriers and payroll dept.
22. Maintains Relationships with all vendors
23. Performs as Primary Contact for City’s Health and Wellness Center
24. Cross Trains with other department employees
25. Performs other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of employer benefit programs, plan design and administration.
• Knowledge of Human Resources practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of customer service principles.
• Knowledge of federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and court rulings affecting benefit administration.
• Knowledge of computer applications including spreadsheets, databases and word processing.
• Knowledge of General Records Retention Laws and schedules for State and Local Government agencies.
• Knowledge of business English, punctuation, mathematics and spelling.
• Ability to apply rules, regulations and policies to particular personnel situations.
• Ability to write clear and concise reports, memoranda and other correspondence.
• Ability to use computers and software applications.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, supervisors and managers, benefit carriers and administrators.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing to diverse groups.
• Ability to provide a high degree of customer service.
• Ability to troubleshoot, research and resolve customer problems.
• Ability to organize and pay accurate attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to remain at a city work shelter, before, during and after a hurricane or other storm or disaster, if asked.
• Skill in the operation of basic office equipment, including computer.

Required Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited high school/vocational school or GED required, Associates Degree preferred.
• A minimum of five (5) years personnel-related and benefits administrative experience, preferably in local government.
• Currently possess or have the ability to obtain State of Florida Notary Public License.
• A comparable amount of education and/or experience can be substituted for the minimum qualifications.
• Valid Florida Driver’s License required.
• Complete the required National Incident Management System (NIMS) training within 6 months of completion of probationary period.

Essential Physical Skills:

• This is primarily sedentary work.
• Requires sitting for long periods of time; bending and reaching; good finger/hand dexterity and hand/eye coordination; good eyesight, hearing and speech.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English both orally and in writing.
• Acceptable eyesight (with or without corrections).
• Acceptable hearing (with or with hearing aid).
• Able to exert up to fifteen pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• Must be able to operate Microsoft Office Suite, telephone, calculator, copier, a fax machine.

Environmental Conditions:

• Works in an office environment.

(Reasonable accommodations will be made in accordance with existing ADA requirements for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability.)

Note: Job Descriptions are only intended to present a descriptive summary of the range of duties and responsibilities associated with specified positions. Therefore, specifications may not include all duties performed by individuals within a classification. In addition, specifications are intended to outline the minimum qualifications necessary for entry into the class and do not necessarily convey the qualifications of incumbents within the position.

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. E-Verify Works for Everyone For more information on E-Verify, or if you believe that your employer has violated its E-Verify responsibilities, please contact DHS.

The City of Mount Dora is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Mount Dora will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Mount Dora is a drug-free, smoke-free, EOE.