Benefits Administrator

Position Title: Benefit Administrator

Reports To: Senior Manager, Total Rewards & HR

Department: People Department

Status: Non-Exempt

Date: July 2026

Broad Functions: The Benefits Administrator is a mid-level operational role responsible for administering non-union benefit programs, supporting leave of absence processes, and ensuring accurate payroll-related benefits processing. This position plays a key role in maintaining data integrity across benefits systems, coordinating with vendors, and supporting compliance-related activities. Reporting to the Sr. Manager, HR & Total Rewards, the Benefits Administrator supports daily benefits operations, including leave administration, vendor invoice processing, payroll audits, and employee benefits inquiries. This role requires strong attention to detail, system proficiency, and the ability to manage multiple processes in a high-volume environment.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Benefits Administration

a. Administer employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts (FSA), health savings accounts (HSA), employee assistance programs (EAP), and voluntary benefits.

b. Process and review benefit transactions, including new hire enrollments, qualifying life event changes, employee status changes, coverage terminations, and benefit updates.

c. Review benefit eligibility and employee elections to ensure alignment with plan rules, company policies, waiting periods, and applicable employee status changes.

d. Respond to general employee benefit questions and provide Level 1 and Level 2 support regarding coverage, enrollment, eligibility, deductions, and plan resources.

e. Assist with annual open enrollment administration, including employee communications, system testing, enrollment support, processing of benefit changes, and post-enrollment audits.

f. Coordinate benefit enrollment corrections and help resolve eligibility discrepancies with carriers, vendors, Payroll, and Human Resources.

g. Maintain benefit-related forms, flyers, employee communications, plan resources, and portal content to ensure information is current and accessible.

h. Escalate complex benefit issues to the Assistant Manager or Senior Manager, Total Rewards & HR, as appropriate.

2. Leave of Absence Administration

a. Administer leave of absence processes, including time entry in timecards and salary adjustments as applicable.

b. Maintain accurate leave statuses in ADP and Absence Resources systems.

c. Coordinate leave documentation and communication with HR Managers and employees.

d. Ensure proper benefit adjustments are processed for employees on leave, including applicable deductions, arrears, and benefit continuation requirements.

e. Monitor leave timelines, return-to-work dates, and documentation requirements; escalate concerns as appropriate.

f. Work with states and vendors to create, update, and maintain paid state leave programs and related administrative processes.

g. Support ADA accommodation tracking and coordination as directed by Human Resources.

3. Payroll Administration Support

a. Perform payroll-related benefits tasks, including union code audits, 401(k) code audits, deduction reviews, and benefits payroll validations.

b. Support benefit deduction updates, adjustments, refunds, arrears collections, and contribution corrections within payroll systems.

c. Assist with quarterly adjustments, benefit reconciliations, and recurring audits of payroll benefit deductions.

d. Review payroll data to ensure proper benefit deductions and employer or employee contributions are applied accurately.

e. Partner with Payroll to research and resolve benefit deduction discrepancies, missed deductions, overpayments, underpayments, and employee repayment arrangements.

4. Deduction and Collections Administration

a. Assist with managing deductions in arrears and preparing related invoices, documentation, and payment tracking.

b. Monitor outstanding benefit balances and support payment plan tracking where applicable.

c. Coordinate follow-up communications with employees regarding benefit deductions, balances, repayment schedules, and required next steps.

d. Maintain accurate records of deduction corrections, collections, refunds, and related employee communications.

5. Disability and Garnishment Administration

a. Support Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) claims administration and coordination with vendors.

b. Assist employees with disability-related questions and help coordinate required documentation with employees, vendors, and Human Resources.

c. Monitor disability-related payroll and benefit impacts, including applicable deductions, benefit continuation, and return-to-work changes.

d. Process and manage non-union benefit garnishments as applicable.

e. Maintain confidential documentation related to disability, garnishment, and benefit matters.

6. Vendor and Carrier Administration

a. Serve as a point of contact for benefit carriers, brokers, third-party administrators, and benefit vendors for routine administrative matters.

b. Coordinate resolution of enrollment, eligibility, billing, file feed, and coverage discrepancies with vendors and internal stakeholders.

c. Review carrier invoices, eligibility reports, and vendor files to support accurate benefit administration and employee coverage.

d. Support annual renewal activities, vendor transitions, plan updates, and implementation of benefit related process changes.

e. Track escalated employee benefit issues through resolution and maintain appropriate documentation.

7. Benefits Systems Administration

a. Maintain accurate employee benefit information within HRIS, payroll, benefits administration platforms, and vendor systems.

b. Support benefit system configuration, testing, and validation related to plan updates, eligibility rules, deduction codes, annual enrollment, and vendor integrations.

c. Troubleshoot benefits-related system issues and coordinate resolution with vendors, Payroll, HRIS, IT, and internal stakeholders.

d. Conduct ongoing audits of benefit system data to support accuracy, compliance, and data integrity.

e. Identify opportunities to improve benefits administration workflows, reporting, employee service, and system processes.

8. Retirement Plan Administration Support

a. Support administration of the company's retirement savings programs, including eligibility tracking, employee inquiries, and coordination with payroll and plan vendors.

b. Assist with 401(k) deduction reviews, code audits, contribution discrepancy research, and correction coordination.

c. Support retirement plan audits, documentation requests, and compliance-related reporting activities as needed.

9. Compliance, Reporting, and Data Integrity

a. Maintain accurate benefit records within HRIS, payroll, benefits administration platforms, and vendor systems.

b. Assist with recurring benefits reporting, documentation requirements, file reviews, and compliance related data requests.

c. Support periodic audits to ensure compliance, data accuracy, and alignment with company policies and plan documents.

d. Assist with preparation and distribution of required benefit notices and employee communications, including annual and event-based benefit communications.

e. Maintain confidentiality of employee information, benefit records, and protected health information.

10. Employee Service and Communication

a. Provide timely, professional, and clear support to employees, managers, Human Resources, Payroll, and vendors regarding benefit-related questions.

b. Assist with employee benefit orientations, enrollment support, benefit education, and employee communications.

c. Help develop and maintain benefits communications, FAQs, flyers, and instructional materials for employees.

d. Support wellness and employee engagement initiatives related to company benefit offerings.

11. Other Duties

a. Perform other duties as assigned to support Total Rewards and organizational priorities.

Skills and Qualifications:

Required

1. Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred, or equivalent experience.

2. Minimum three to five years of experience in benefits administration, payroll benefits processing, or Total Rewards operations.

3. Strong knowledge of benefits payroll processing and system integrations.

4. Experience supporting union benefits administration preferred.

5. Strong analytical skills with exceptional attention to detail.

6. Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

7. Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

8. Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Excel.

9. Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.

Preferred

10. Experience with PlanSource, ADP, FMLA Source, or similar benefits systems.

11. Exposure to retirement plan administration or compliance audits.

12. Experience working in a multi-location or union environment.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to: stand for long periods of time, use hands and fingers, and be able to handle, feel, communicate verbally, and hear. The associate is frequently required to reach with hands and arms, climb, balance, taste and smell. The associate is also occasionally required to walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, and either lift or move to 50 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus. Be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 8hrs).