Benefits Specialist

Benefits Specialist

Premier Medical Resources is hiring for a full-time Benefits Specialist to join our team in Northwest Houston (77040 zip-code). The Benefits Specialist is responsible for administering the company's employee benefit and retirement programs and serves as a primary resource for employees regarding eligibility, enrollment, coverage, claims, and plan provisions. This position supports open enrollment, regulatory reporting, plan audits, invoice reconciliation, vendor integrations, leave administration, payroll coordination, and other benefits-related initiatives.

Essential Functions:

• Administer employee benefit programs, including fully insured and self-insured medical, dental, vision, health savings account (HSA), life, disability, COBRA, and wellness plans.
• Support the administration of the company's 401(k) plan, including employee enrollments, contribution monitoring, audits, testing, reporting, and compliance activities.
• Process benefit enrollments, changes, qualifying life events, and terminations accurately and within established deadlines.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for employees regarding benefit eligibility, coverage, plan provisions, claims, and enrollment questions.
• Research and resolve benefit-related discrepancies and escalated employee issues in coordination with carriers, brokers, payroll, and other internal partners.
• Coordinate the annual open enrollment process, including system configuration, carrier and payroll coordination, employee communications, benefit elections, and post-enrollment audits.
• Develop and distribute employee communications and educational materials, including plan summaries, benefit statements, enrollment instructions, and related correspondence.
• Monitor electronic data interchange (EDI) files and carrier feeds to ensure benefit information is transmitted accurately and timely; investigate and resolve transmission errors.
• Maintain current benefit policies, procedures, plan documents, summaries, and other required records.
• Assist with required benefit plan testing, audits, reporting, and regulatory filings, including Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting and Form 5500 filings.
• Review, reconcile, and process benefit invoices to ensure enrollment, deductions, carrier charges, and payments are accurate.
• Coordinate with vendors and internal partners during benefit-related audits, including 401(k), workers' compensation, and disability plan audits.
• Assist with the administration and tracking of leave and accommodation programs, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), short-term disability, long-term disability, and workers' compensation.
• Partner with Payroll to audit benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and other benefit-related payroll transactions.
• Provide backup support to the Payroll Specialist as assigned.
• Compile and provide accurate information for government reports, audits, compliance filings, and internal reporting.
• Process employment verification requests accurately and within established timeframes.
• Assist benefit carriers, brokers, and other vendor representatives with reporting, data management, eligibility questions, and issue resolution.
• Protect confidential employee and benefit information in accordance with company policies and applicable legal requirements.
• Perform other related tasks as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of employee benefit and retirement programs, including medical, dental, vision, HSA, life, disability, COBRA, wellness, and 401(k) plans.
• Knowledge of applicable benefit and leave requirements, including FMLA, ADA, COBRA, ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, Section 125 cafeteria plans, short-term disability, and long-term disability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including functions used to analyze, reconcile, and audit benefit and payroll data.
• Proficiency in HRIS, benefits administration, payroll, and carrier systems.
• Experience navigating benefit carrier portals to manage enrollments, verify coverage, review eligibility, and resolve discrepancies.
• Ability to reconcile invoices, deductions, enrollment records, and carrier data with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to interpret plan documents and clearly explain benefit information to employees.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Strong verbal and written communication and customer-service skills.
• Ability to handle sensitive information professionally and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with employees, vendors, brokers, payroll, and other internal departments.

Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Two (2) years of experience managing benefits

Benefits:

• 3 Medical Plans
• 2 Dental Plans
• 2 Vision Plans
• Employee Assistant Program
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment Plan
• 401(k) with a 2-year vesting
• PTO + Holidays