United States Job Openings
Columbia College Chicago
Benefits Specialist
Chicago
FULL TIME
October 16, 2024
Columbia College Chicago is an acclaimed undergraduate and graduate institution that provides a comprehensive education in the arts, communications, and public relations. We constantly aim to reach our full potential as an educational innovator, incubator of new creative practice and generator of real-world success for young creatives. We are in the heart of Chicago, across the street from historic Grant Park, and housed in some of the most iconic buildings in the South Loop.
Columbia College Chicago a private urban institution of over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students, four-year College offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts and business is currently searching for a Benefits Specialist.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Benefits Specialist is responsible for facilitating the day-to-day administration and coordination of a broad range of employee benefit plans and programs. This position serves as a subject matter expert in responding to and resolving employee benefits issues and inquiries, working with benefit carriers/vendors in their ongoing service delivery to employees, identifying and resolving both participant and plan-level issues, and identifying and implementing process improvements and efficiencies. The Benefits Specialist is responsible for managing the logistical components of benefits delivery, including FMLA, LTD, workers compensation, new employee orientation, education assistance program, voluntary benefits, open enrollment, and the addition of new plan offerings.
Flex work option is available.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Columbia College Chicago a private urban institution of over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students, four-year College offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts and business is currently searching for a Benefits Specialist.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Benefits Specialist is responsible for facilitating the day-to-day administration and coordination of a broad range of employee benefit plans and programs. This position serves as a subject matter expert in responding to and resolving employee benefits issues and inquiries, working with benefit carriers/vendors in their ongoing service delivery to employees, identifying and resolving both participant and plan-level issues, and identifying and implementing process improvements and efficiencies. The Benefits Specialist is responsible for managing the logistical components of benefits delivery, including FMLA, LTD, workers compensation, new employee orientation, education assistance program, voluntary benefits, open enrollment, and the addition of new plan offerings.
Flex work option is available.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide timely and accurate customer support to benefit eligible employees answering their inquiries regarding benefit options, enrollment process, and changes.
- Manage Ben Admin/People Soft to process employee benefit elections including new hire, life event changes and annual open enrollment ensuring accurate and timely submission of data to benefit providers and Payroll.
- Manage HRIS benefit data management activities to ensure data integrity and compliance.
- Assist with ACA duties such as analysis of data as it relates to ACA requirements, set-up of initial measurement periods for new hires, rehires; prepare and audit reports to maintain ACA compliance; administer monthly reporting and communication to applicable employees for medical coverage eligibility.
- Respond to questions from employees and managers regarding ADA compliance and accommodation requests. Acknowledge requests and provide status notices. Communicate with healthcare providers regarding incomplete forms or information that requires clarification. Maintain compliance records and prepare reporting for Human Resources management team.
- Conduct new employee orientation and provide benefit information for separating employees.
- Effectively review and interpret FMLA and long-term disability requests for completeness and process requests in a timely manner to satisfy compliance requirements.
- Administers other college time-off programs such as caregiver leave, sick leave, military leave, unpaid leaves, in accordance with internal policy and applicable laws.
- Maintains complete and accurate records of leave and accommodation requests in accordance with specified legal requirements and documentation of best practices.
- Manage workers compensation claims maintaining database for tracking purposes and providing quarterly reporting.
- Manage the educational assistance program that consists of CCC tuition remission and two tuition exchange programs.
- Conduct monthly health plan participant audits.
- Regularly interface with multiple health and welfare benefit vendors, carriers, and administrators to assist employees with the resolution of benefit issues and ensure consistent, accurate and reliable information is being disseminated to employees.
- Document benefit administration practices and system procedures focusing on best practices.
- Assist with periodic plan audits conducted by the college’s external auditors to ensure accurate eligibility reporting and costs.
- Process benefit-related tasks associated with payroll processing deadlines. Maintain payroll exception spreadsheet by adding employee benefit deductions, ensuring proper payment of vacation for separating employees, and reviewing paychecks each pay period for employees with benefit changes to ensure accuracy.
- Enrolls employees with carriers and process life status changes.
- Maintain and audit system interfaces to ensure proper delivery of benefit information to employee benefit providers.
- Publish and maintain employee benefit information on the college’s internal (Intranet) and external (Cascade) websites and benefit materials.
- Participate in the design and revision of benefit materials, communications, and training materials.
- Prepare various reports including Form 5500, benefits surveys, dependent audits, OSHA, and other benefit reporting requirements for review.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee and is subject to change based on the needs of the department and/or college.
At Columbia, we offer a rewarding work environment for our faculty and staff. We take pride in offering competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefit program, life, and accidental, death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work/life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement and financial planning benefits.
We invite you to join our talented faculty and staff and become part of our collective aspiration to ensure Columbia prepares students for success in their creative fields through innovation, engagement and real-world experiences.
Additional Information
Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.
- Bachelor’s Degree in human resources or related field of study and 3 - 4 years of benefits experience, or combination of education and relevant experience, preferably with some higher education experience.
- Working knowledge of benefit concepts, laws, compliance, and regulations.
- Knowledgeable of changing Federal and State regulations and legislation that may affect employee benefits, including ERISA, COBRA, Section 125, FMLA, ADA and ACA.
- Must be proficient with Microsoft applications, People Soft experience (v9.2), and technical skills specifically in Excel (V-lookups, pivot tables, formulas).
- Excellent analytical, reporting, technical, and problem-solving skills.
- Must be self-directed, innovative, and able to assess current operations in an effort to attain the future goals of the department.
- Must be able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational and communication (oral and written) skills.
- Ability to communicate complex benefit concepts.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with managers, employees, and HR team.
- Ability to work well with employees at all levels as well as external constituents such as vendors.
- Attention to detail, accuracy, and ability to multi-task.
- Ability to handle all situations with professionalism, confidentiality, and diplomacy.
- Must be able to effectively represent Human Resources at college-wide events and various meetings.
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee and is subject to change based on the needs of the department and/or college.
At Columbia, we offer a rewarding work environment for our faculty and staff. We take pride in offering competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefit program, life, and accidental, death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work/life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement and financial planning benefits.
We invite you to join our talented faculty and staff and become part of our collective aspiration to ensure Columbia prepares students for success in their creative fields through innovation, engagement and real-world experiences.
Additional Information
- Position subject to a background screening.
- This is Non-Union position.
- This position is overtime ineligible.
Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.
Primary Location: United States-Illinois-Chicago
Job: Human Resources
Schedule: Full-time
Shift: Day Job
Job Type: Standard
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Travel: No
We regret to inform you that this job opportunity is no longer available as it has expired
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