Jennifer Austin Email and Phone Number

• Managed all benefits programs for 1,100 employees, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, dependent care, short-term and long-term disability, and wellness initiatives, ensuring accuracy and compliance.• Developed comprehensive cost analyses for new benefit plans, offering strategic premium-sharing recommendations that balanced management goals with employee satisfaction.• Administered and regularly updated the employee self-service system for benefit tasks in Kronos and Paycom, achieving 100% compliance with regulatory requirements and enhancing user access to vital information.• Addressed complex, confidential inquiries from employees, former employees, and dependents regarding benefit eligibility, features, options, costs, and procedures, supporting informed decision-making.• Prepared and distributed comprehensive communications on benefit options to over 1,100 employees, increasing employee satisfaction.• Collaborated with the Finance team to develop an annual benefits expense budget, providing monthly reports and adjusting projections based on claims activity.• Reconciled benefits accounts, preparing detailed self-billing and regular billing reports to ensure accurate weekly and monthly submissions.• Built and maintained strategic partnerships with clients, brokers, carriers, vendors, and providers, improving service delivery efficiency and streamlining communication processes to support seamless operations.• Established filing schedules to track critical ACA mandate deadlines using project management tools, generating weekly reports to maintain oversight without delays or penalties.• Administered COBRA notifications in strict adherence to legal timelines, ensuring accuracy and facilitating successful enrollments.• Supervised the self-insured Workers' Compensation program for 1,100 employees, ensuring compliance and positive audit outcomes.

• Executed comprehensive administration of benefit plans including eligibility criteria assessments and distribution protocols; maintained compliance with policy standards while streamlining enrollment procedures for over 1,100 employees across diverse programs. • Constructed and distributed comprehensive communications about benefit options, increasing employee understanding.• Achieved strict compliance with Union and Non-Union benefit options through regular audits, achieving 100% adherence across all employee classifications while supporting over 1,100 staff members in benefits navigation.• Managed the comprehensive maintenance of the employee self-service systems across Kronos and Insperity TimeStar platforms, enhancing accessibility to benefits information for over 1,100 employees.• Ensured compliance with all required documentation for the self-funded Ohio BWC and OSHA, coordinating a modified duty program that supported 1,100 employees. • Analyzed accident reports and site conditions to enhance training programs, leading to decreased incident rates.• Reported detailed findings on employee incidents to the Senior Management Safety Committee, resulting in actionable recommendations that led to a reduction in workplace injuries through targeted safety initiatives. • Directed comprehensive oversight for claim management processes with third-party administrators, including First Report of Injury submissions and settlement negotiations while strictly adhering to state regulations.• Facilitated the authorization of final settlements for Workers' Compensation cases eliminating future cost exposures.• Conducted second interviews and made hiring recommendations for top candidates.• Collaborated cross-functionally on new employee orientations, recognition programs, and holiday events.• Led implementation of the HRIS systems UKG Kronos and Insperity TimeStar, enhancing data access and reporting.

• Resolved payroll-related inquiries, including vacation, banking, garnishments, retroactive pay, tax questions, and other changes.• Engaged directly with the HR team to validate and reconcile employee benefits deductions, ensuring alignment.• Supervised the Payroll Accountant, ensuring precise processing of bi-weekly payroll for over 1200 employees.• Conducted comprehensive monthly reconciliation processes focusing on payroll entries, which highlighted discrepancies leading to corrections that improved overall data integrity.

• Executed the processing of payroll every two weeks for over 1,200 employees while guaranteeing full compliance with federal and state regulations. • Maintained and reconciled attendance accruals, ensuring all vacation, sick leave, and holiday balances were up to date.• Managed W-2 processing.