Benefits Administrator

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities. We are currently seeking a Benefits Administrator for Human Resources in Chicago.

 The Benefits Administrator is responsible for the administration of the organization’s health and welfare programs, voluntary benefits, and defined contribution benefit plan ensuring they are executed within plan design and regulatory constraints. Educates employees in understanding the organizations benefits offerings and acts as a liaison between the organization and third-party benefits providers. Leads benefits orientation and plans open enrollment and develops benefits presentations and communications. Ensures accurate benefit records and prepares documents and reports. Contributes to continual improvements/enhancements to benefit program design to attract and retain talent.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Administers employee benefits including eligibility, elections, qualified life events and premium deductions ensuring they follow plan design.
2. Serves as the primary liaison to third party administrators to research and resolve employee issues. Direct contact for all employee benefit questions and responds timely to all phone and email inquiries. Continually develops knowledge base of benefits FAQs.
3. Ensures file feeds are reviewed weekly and any issues are addressed from HRIS to vendor portals for all employee benefit enrollments/changes. Leads system setup for open enrollment and life event modules annually. Performs quality checks of all benefits-related data to include the monthly reconciliation for all benefits.
4. Develops benefits communication through videos, emails, presentations, websites, social media and flyers. Conducts benefits orientation and plans and administers the open enrollment process and related events.
5. Ensures compliance with all benefits policies and plan documents as well as benefits related federal and state regulations such as HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, FFCRA etc. Develops standard operating procedures and recommends and implements process improvements.
6. Conducts research and analysis of industry trends, employee surveys, and workplace best practices in order to design benefits packages that are competitive, meet employee needs, and support organizational goals.
7. Researches and evaluates third-party benefits vendors and participates in the selection and implementation of providers.
8. Manages leave of absence and disability programs including providing policy information to employees, working closely with our third-party administrator, communicating with managers, providing timely pay updates to our payroll team, and monitoring cases.
9. Develops benefits related reports and spreadsheets related to contributions and enrollments and assists with annual reporting and audits including 401(k) compliance testing, annual plan audit and Form 5500 filings.