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The Benefits Specialist (Health & Welfare) is responsible for handling the day-to-day administration of the health & welfare benefit programs for Middlebury College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Responsibilities include: employee communication/education/enrollment support, claims problem support, maintenance of benefits records, coordination of benefit changes with both external vendors and the in-house payroll department, insurance billing, etc. The Specialist also assists the Benefits Manager in plan compliance and plan design/modification initiatives.
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Works cooperatively with others and accepts direction from supervisors.
Handles the day-to-day administration of the medical, dental, life, disability, EFAP, and medical and dependent care FSA benefits for both MC and MIIS, and Combined Time Off and the dependent tuition benefit programs for MC staff employees:
Customer (Employee) Service
Assists employees and retirees in understanding and utilizing their benefit program:
- Conducts group benefit sign-ups during staff New Employee Orientation (MC only).*
- Conducts individual benefit sign-ups (in-person or by phone) for faculty and administrators.*
- Answers employee benefit questions and assists employees in resolving benefits-related problems by researching issues and/or facilitating communication/resolution with plan third-party administrators/insurers.*
- Assists employees who have experienced a life change to add/remove dependents, change name, update beneficiaries, etc.*
- Prepares and presents information at benefits-related group employee meetings (in-person or electronically) to communicate benefit changes, etc., including scheduling presentations by third-party administrators, insurers, or providers as necessary.
- Prepares communication materials such as letters, e-mails, MiddPoints articles, and Power Point presentations.*
- Assists terminating employees in understanding their benefit continuation/conversion options.*
- Explains Combined Time Off (CTO) program to new employees, answers questions, maintains documentation, resolves problems, etc.*
- Administers the dependent tuition benefit programs (cash grant scholarship and the comprehensive fee credit): explains the programs to employees, determines eligibility, processes payment requests, maintains records, etc.*
Benefits Record Maintenance
Maintains accurate employee benefits records:
- Monitors HRIS and other data sources to manage employee eligibility and benefit-level changes (ex: employee or dependent meets/loses eligibility, etc.).*
- Tracks and confirms that employees have accurately completed and turned in all required forms in a timely manner.*
- Enters benefits enrollment and change information in the HRIS system.*
- Sends timely notification of benefit eligibility/changes (including COBRA information) to third-party administrators/insurers by transmitting electronic files or other means (paper forms).*
- Ensures data integrity by regularly auditing all benefits-related information by comparing the HRIS system data against other records such as reports from third-party administrators/insurers.*
- Maintains accurate, complete paper benefit files for active and terminated employees.*
- Coordinates the annual Open Enrollment processes, including overseeing necessary updates to the HRIS system, responding to employee questions, researching and resolving problems, data-entry, and auditing of records.*
- As necessary, builds or updates employee deduction tables.*
Other:
- Maintains up-to-date written procedures for the function.*
- Coordinates benefits adjustments with the Payroll Department to ensure accurate processing.*
- Interfaces with the Dean of Faculty’s Office to coordinate faculty benefits and retirement administration, including changes related to academic leaves.*
- Ensures employees are notified of COBRA rights either personally (FSA accounts) or through provider (medical/ dental coverage).*
- Prepares benefits-related information for terminating employees for HR Generalists to use in termination letters.*
- Works with employees, Disability/Leave Coordinator, or HR Generalists to make arrangements for employees to pay for benefits during leaves of absence or when partial-year employees are not working, etc.*
- Assists the Benefits Manager in the rollout/employee enrollment for new benefit plans or plan changes.*
- Prepares reports or conduct benefits research as requested.*
- Performs other duties, as assigned.
(*Denotes essential job functions.)
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