Benefits Analyst

General Benefits Administration

• Responsible for day-to-day administration of health and welfare programs, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and other ancillary benefits.
• Contributes to providing guidance and counsel to HR Business partners and employees on the provisions and requirements surrounding Hydro benefit programs, as well as federal and state regulatory guidance, including leave programs.  Provide clear and concise responses to employee and HR Business partners benefit inquiries. Refers unrelated inquiries, such as payroll questions to the relevant department.
• Provides recommendations for solutions to special situations
• Monitors eligibility, limitations and restrictions on benefit plan participation and ensures compliance with both plan provisions and government requirements. 
• Oversees the online benefit platform and administrator to ensure benefit data is accurate
• Maintains relationships with insurance carriers, benefit broker, and third-party benefit vendors to ensure quality and efficiency of delivery of our benefit programs.
• Assists in creating and reviewing HR and employee training and communication materials
• Leads compliance oversight related benefit items such as ACA compliance and COBRA.  Lead on ensuring accuracy and timely submission benefit compliance requirements including ACA reporting, DOL filings and required employee notices
• Assists the benefit invoice process for timely benefit invoice vendor processing
• Creates, documents and updates benefit processes as needed and when processes change or are implemented

Leave Administration:

• In collaboration with leave vendor, interprets and administers leave programs and policies (STD, LTD, FMLA, ADA) in accordance with applicable federal and state employment laws
• Manages leave of absence administration vendor and leave of absence activities, ensuring timely and accurate administration of these programs as well as pay accuracy.
• Collaborates with local HR to ensure complete and timely reporting leave activity in our HRIS system

HRIS System:

• Maintains data integrity in systems.  This includes developing and running audits and analyzing data.  Automate processes and develop and implement methods to ensure root source data quality. 
• Interprets data, finds patterns, and makes recommendations based on trends in data
• Research daily and weekly eligibility file feed discrepancies from vendors.  Resolve discrepancies with carriers, ensuring timely adjustments, or corrections. 
• Supports all HRIS systems including but not limited to, researching and resolving benefit programs, unexpected results or process flaws.
• Open Enrollment:
• Creates and updates open enrollment communications, benefits online platform and benefit documents.
• Educate employees and local HR on benefit programs during Open Enrollment
• Troubleshoots and resolves employee enrollment issues at Open Enrollment
• Audit and reconcile employee elections to ensure all coverage changes are processed by vendors