SPECIALIST: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Assists in the administration of employee benefit and group insurance plans following established rules and regulations and District policy.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provides technical assistance and information regarding IRC Section 125 Flexible Benefits Plan, Medical Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Spending Account, Pre-tax Insurance Premium Plan (PIPP), health, dental, prescription drug plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability, Long Term Care Insurance, Defined Benefit Pension Plan (ERA), U.S. Savings Bonds, extended leave of absence and 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities and 457(b) deferred compensation plan.
• Provides technical information regarding group insurance options and costs to active and retired employees, dependents, principals, supervisors, administrators, group insurance and annuity carriers and collective bargaining units.
• Provides technical assistance in the interpretation of eligibility, covered expenses, limitations and exclusions and termination of coverage.
• Applies technical and analytical skills to research, interpret, compute and resolve benefit plan premium adjustments for employee benefit premium contributions.
• Provides technical assistance to benefit plan insurance vendors in communications, verification of eligibility, enrollment changes, member claims and coverage issues for resolution.
• Provides technical assistance in response to Qualified Medical Child Support Orders, Medicaid and Medicare coordination of benefits and Social Security Confirmation of Benefit Coverage.
• Provides technical assistance in employee benefit issues, research and resolution.
• Communicates to retiree and leave status personnel as needed
• Responsible for communication and oversight of COBRA administrative issues.
• Performs technical applications and data entry into HR/Pay system for enrollment, employment status changes, qualifying event status changes, and disenrollment following established procedures and guidelines.
• Provides technical assistance to employees and dependents for changes to group insurance coverage.
• Performs monthly benefit premium plan reconciliations with insurance vendors to validate eligibility and enrollment.
• Administers retirement plan ERA refunds and coordinates processing through Educational Retirement Board.
• Provides technical assistance to beneficiaries of deceased active and retired participants regarding life insurance processes, rules and regulations.
• Prepares and maintains salary history files for use in preparing death claims and retirement benefit applications.
• Recommends changes in policies and procedures to immediate supervisor.
• Assists in the training of personnel within the department.
• Ensures communication and information packets are accurate and available.
• Provides assistance to other Employee Benefit Specialists as needed.
• Cross trains with other Benefits Specialist positions as requested by supervisor
• Communicates to retiree and leave status personnel as needed.
• Assists employees and dependents with changes to group insurance coverage.
• Assists employees in the application of ERB retirement plan refunds and/or rollover requests in conjunction with the ERB policies and procedures.
• Assists beneficiaries of deceased participants regarding life insurance processes, rules and regulations.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE:

• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Flexibility, organization, decision-making and problem solving skills.
• Interpersonal skills with diverse population's in-person and on the telephone.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work on multiple projects.
• Proficient with word processing, database and spreadsheet software.
• Proficient in mathematical and analytical applications.
• Knowledge of accounting, and rules and regulations in regards to employee benefits (i.e., COBRA, ERISA and IRC Section 125, cafeteria plans, 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities).
• Ability to interpret and explain insurance contracts, policies and procedures.
• Working experience in employee benefits.
• Analytical skills for the interpretation of complex insurance contracts.
• Ability to perform plan reconciliation's and schedule and manage several multi-level tasks simultaneously, with numerous interruptions.
• Effective customer service, conflict resolution and team-building skills.
• Bilingual

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Four years of experience in Human Resources, Employee Benefits, or Payroll.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Contact: Valerie Atencio at / atencio_v@aps.edu
APPLY TO:

www.aps.edu District Support application. A cover letter, resume and any other supporting documents MUST be submitted prior to 4:00 PM on the closing date of the advertisement for the application to be considered complete.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
GRADE / LEVEL: DSN 6
SALARY: Hourly: $18.4815
DAYS: 256
HOURS: 8
START DATE: ASAP
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