HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Job Summary:

To be an integral member of the Excela Health Human Resources Shared Services team overseeing the administration and communication of our employee benefits program including: defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, medical, dental, vision, life, short term and long term disability, voluntary benefit offerings, PTO, COBRA, FMLA, ADAAA, tuition assistance, and wellness programs. Works together with team to support the needs of both internal and external customers, while continuously looking for ways to improve processes, increase efficiencies and mitigate cost.

Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one’s own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to Excela’s missions, vision and values.

TECHNICAL STANDARDS

Essential Functions: Defined as duties specific to the job, that, if removed, would change the entire purpose of the job; to include the Essential Physical Demands and Essential Working Conditions of this position.

• Core Essential Functions:
• Regular, consistent, on-site, and timely attendance.
• Leading
  • Initiative: Acts promptly to resolve problems; initiates better ways of doing things; acts as a catalysis for change. Implements at least one process improvement initiative for department on an annual basis. Investigates root cause analysis of reoccurring problems and takes appropriate action.
  • Motivating and Influencing: Ties contributions to larger goals; influences and persuades others, builds commitment among diverse groups. Sets ambitious goals in support of Excela Health mission, vision and True North. Demonstrates ability to eliminate silos by modeling actions and setting example; influences others to think and act as a unified health system.
  • Professionalism/Outreach: Challenges oneself to a higher level of performance by taking responsibility for professional growth and development.
• Standards and Accountability
  • Accountability: Holds self and others accountable; takes responsibility for outcomes; achieves results through adherence to standards in a consistent manner. Establishes and maintains a safe working environment; assures staff comply with safety, environmental and infection control guidelines. Practices and encourages survey readiness in compliance with agency regulations and guidelines. Demonstrates expectation of confidentiality by continually encouraging staff to keep private information confidential and share information on a need to know basis only.
  • Service Orientation and Customer Focus: Assesses customer's needs; exceeds customer expectations; considers customers in decision making; improves customer satisfaction. Performs in accordance with Excela Health's behavioral standards in support of the mission, vision, true north, and values. Holds staff accountable for modeling the behavioral standards. Responds to client service recovery issues within required time frame and to the satisfaction of the customer. Actively and positively promotes the Respect and Recognition initiatives by supporting staff participation in committee membership, activities, and projects.
• Planning and Decision Making:
  • Constructive Thinking: Analyzes issues before acting; generates creative ideas; detects patterns and connections; breaks down complex problems. Practices participatory leadership by involving staff in decision-making and problem solving. Considers global implications of decisions made; involves all appropriate departments and individuals for optimal outcome.
  • Prioritizing and Delegating: Acts on most urgent tasks' leverages available resources; reviews own workload; implements workable systems, provides clear direction.
• Communication
  • Giving Feedback: Provides constructive feedback; helps others improve performance; articulates areas of deficiency. Provides opportunities for staff to actively provide input into decision-making process. Seeks input before decision is made. Provides feedback regarding how and why decisions are made.
• Developing People and Managing Relationships
  • Upward Management: Updates stakeholders on project process; uses sound judgment; influences the decisions of leadership in effective manner.
  • Building and Strengthening Relationships: Facilitates open communication; diffuses sources of conflict; demonstrates respect for others; diplomatically negotiates solutions. Facilitates teamwork through coaching and mentoring of staff. Builds trust through fostering empowerment and shared decision making within the appropriate level and scope of authority.

• Specialty Essential Functions:

• Oversees the daily operation of system-wide retirement plans.
  • Communicates issues relating to retirement and tax sheltered annuity plans with employees on both individual and group levels.
  • Counsels employees contemplating retirement and provides retirement estimates as requested.
  • Monitors and communicates statutory maximum deferral limits and assures correct processing of payroll deductions.
  • Meets with employees prior to confirmed retirement date to explain available options and complete applicable paperwork; forwards same to actuary and fund custodian in a timely manner.
  • Calculates vested pension benefit for all eligible terminated employees; advises employee and maintains file for future payment. Initiates pension benefit for terminated employee upon request.
  • Reviews vested pension benefits for lump sum distribution eligibility.
  • Approves requests for loans or withdrawals from defined contribution plans, as permitted by plan design.
  • Coordinates vendor on site employee meeting dates and employee education programs offered by vendor.
  • Maintains completed employee pension documents and records as required by law and policy.
  • Communicates with retirees, answering questions, and addressing needs as requested.
• Oversees the daily operation of the medical, dental, vision, life, and disability plans.
  • Processes and tracks employee benefit enrollments, assuring timeliness and accuracy.
  • Assists employees with questions relative to changes in benefits, beneficiary information, dependents, etc.
  • Facilitates annual open enrollment, assisting in communicating changes to employees and addressing employee issues/questions regarding enrollment process.
  • Participates in discussions regarding new plan designs, cost issues, and trends. Makes recommendations to team based on trends in benefit industry and needs of employee population.
  • Administers COBRA, advising participants of eligibility and tracks/processes premium payments monthly.
  • Facilitates home host waiver questions/requests as needed with employee, Chief Medical Officer and carriers.
  • Calculates and audits monthly benefit invoices and processes for payment.
  • Remains current on changes in legal issues, benefit trends, and availability of new programs.
  • Maintains compliance with PPACA regulations by administering eligibility determination for new hires and annual enrollment for variable hour employees.
  • Performs weekly, monthly, quarterly, and open enrollment audits of benefits to ensure accuracy.
• Administers FMLA, ADAAA, and other leave of absence policies in compliance with the law.
  • Advises employees who are applying for a FMLA of their rights and obligations under the Act.
  • Reviews all applications for FMLA eligibility and timeliness and advises employee and manager of approval or denial.
  • In conjunction with the appropriate manager, tracks all FMLA time taken on a block and intermittent basis, including managing leave and PTO hours in time management system.
  • Coordinates and completes all appropriate paperwork and maintains confidentiality in compliance with HIPAA.
  • Facilitates bi-weekly STD and payments and/or PTO usage and donation for payroll processing.
  • Discusses problem claims with carrier as needed; supports case management process to assure valid claim usage.
  • Tracks insurance payments for employees on leave and sends COBRA notification when appropriate; assures payment for benefits are collected timely.
  • Works with managers to assure positions are posted within the appropriate time frame according to policy; notifies employee when position is posted.
• Collaborates with and maintains accountability of outside benefit vendors/carriers.
  • Works with vendors/carriers to ensure accurate administration of our benefit offerings.
  • Partners with carriers to process court orders including QMCSOs, QDROs, etc.
  • Manages day-to-day relationship and correspondence with carriers, working together to review coverage, claim and/or eligibility discrepancies as needed.
    • Troubleshoots issues and errors with vendors/carriers as needed, and advises on appropriate changes to processes and/or file feeds as needed.
  • Supports the Wellness Programs for Excela Health System.
    • Participates in wellness committee and regularly attends committee meetings and functions.
    • Promotes wellness initiatives by through communications and presentations with new and existing staff.
    • Supports Wellness tracking by validating new hire and life event eligibility given wellness participation.
    • Generates mailing lists as needed for wellness communications and reminders.
  • Maintains PTO program records, validates plan eligibility and troubleshoots discrepancies regarding accrual amounts.
  • Administers tuition assistance program, including collecting, approving, and processing applications, calculating and processing assistance payments, and collecting any repayment due, given program guidelines.
  • Facilitates the communication of employee benefit programs to new and existing employees.
    • Maintains online employee benefit information made available on EH Web.
    • Educates new employees on benefit and payroll details through New Employee Orientation.
  • Effectively interprets laws pertaining to the overall benefit administration and understands the possible implications associating to the general administration including but not limited to federal and state regulations.

III. Marginal Functions: Defined as duties that are not essential in nature and do not take a considerable amount of time to complete (less than 10%).

• Assists with special projects or assists other staff as needed to complete all human resources functions.
• Other duties as required.
• Required Skills and Knowledge: Minimum level of education, skills and abilities necessary in performing the job.

Education:

• Completion of Bachelor’s Degree in a Related Field or equivalent work experience.

Certification / Licensure / Regulation:

• Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system

Prior Experience:

• 3-5 years human resources experience with human resources and/or employee benefits administration.

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Functional Skills on PC and Related Software (Microsoft Office)
• Knowledge of basic Office Equipment such as copier, fax machine, etc.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and analytical skills.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
• Independent thinking and decision-making ability
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize assignments

Preferred Factor:

These are job related enhancements that are preferred or would benefit the performance outcome of the job but are not essential or required for the job to exist.

• CEBS, PHR or SPHR certification
• FMLA, ADA, Disability and Leave Administration experience

The above job descriptive information is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities, as an employee may be assigned other duties other than described in this document.

Work Environment

Physical Demands

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)