Oversee the health & welfare benefits program, including dental, vision, prescription, company paid & voluntary life coverages, short-term & long-term/supplemental disability, accidental & critical illness, flexible spending & retirement plans, and Affordable Care Act eligibility. Supervises two employees in the HR department to coordinate services.Lead projects that include designing and conducting effective plan member presentations to enroll employees in benefits programs, raise awareness about changes, and review new guidelines using various communication techniques and software tools. Interface with hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, and third-party plan administrators to facilitate and coordinate complete utilization of benefits for all employees and retirees.Interpret benefit programs to employees clearly (including English to Spanish) to ensure accuracy and compliance with federal laws, HIPPA, and company policies.Organize and conduct benefit orientations for newly eligible employees and annual open enrollment meetings. Verify and assist employees with the necessary forms as needed. Utilize an HRIS to enter, track, and update benefit enrollments, vendor files, billing, COBRA, and assist with reconciling billings for insurance premiums and medical claims. Collaborate with vendors to investigate discrepancies, eligibility issues, and provide & maintain necessary documentation.• Recently partnered with accounting to implement a new HR/payroll system (Kronos Workforce Ready) that improved the process of calculating paycheck deductions for benefits, expediting corrections & retroactive amounts, and resolving other discrepancies.

Responsible for administering employee benefits (health, dental, vision, prescription, FSA, ESOP, 401K, life coverages, short & long-term disability). Partnered with the human resources director and the payroll & benefits department on daily roles and special projects. Served as a primary contact and trusted liaison with insured individuals, providers, and representatives from various regulatory agencies. Monitored compliances and related requirements for annual reporting to the IRS.Processed claims for disability & life coverages, 401K withdrawal requests, and promptly resolved concerns and disputes regarding benefits. Coordinated with payroll clerks with calculating amounts for employee paycheck deductions submitting any corrections, arrearages, and retroactive amounts.Collaborated with vendors to investigate eligibility issues, and other concerns and provide and maintain the necessary documentation for future reference.