Benefits and Leave Specialist

DescriptionJob Title: Benefits and Leave SpecialistLocation: New Albany, OhioJob Type: Full-TimeMake a Difference—And Own Your FutureJoin Wallick Communities, a 100% employee-owned company with over 55 years of experience in providing affordable housing and assisted living for families and seniors across the Midwest. With 1,000+ associates and a mission to open doors to homes, opportunity, and hope, we take pride in fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment where every employee-owner plays a vital role.A Career with Wallick Means. . . Creating Homes for People Who Need It Most:Providingnew beginnings for residents seeking affordable, safe and high-quality housing where they can thrive.Pay-on-Demand: access your money as you earn it.Exceptional Benefit Package: Health, dental, vision insurance effective within 2 weeks of starting your new job, paid time off, gym membership reimbursement, paid parental leave, 401K, and more!Work-Life Balance: Paid time off, including paid parental leave.Learning & Support: A supportive team that cares about your continued development, well-being and professional growth.Resident Stories That Stay with You: From Henry, who moved into his first-ever home, to Jaci, whose stay at a Wallick community allowed her to achieve homeownership and graduate college, kickstarting her dream career.Work-Life Balance: Paid time off, including paid parental leave.Career Growth: Tuition reimbursement, training, professional development, and advancement opportunities within a company that invests in its people.Employee Owned, Resident Focused: As a 100% employee-owned company, your daily work (supporting our residents) also contributes to your financial future by sharing in our profitability.What You’ll Do The Benefits and Leave Specialist is responsible for the effective administration of Wallick’s employee benefit, leave, and workers’ compensation programs. This position manages day-to-day processes, supports associates and managers, maintains accurate HRIS records, coordinates with external vendors, and helps ensure programs are administered consistently and in accordance with applicable plan requirements and regulations. The position also supports benefits communication, open enrollment, reporting, education, and continuous process improvement. Functions and Responsibilities: Benefits Administration Serve as subject matter expert for benefit programs, leave administration, and related policies and processes. Manage daily benefit administration in the HRIS system, ensuring accuracy and compliance. Partner with external benefit vendors to analyze metrics, data, and reports to support program improvements. Manage COBRA Administration through the vendor to ensure notices are mailed meeting the compliance timeline. Respond promptly to associate inquiries related to benefits, leave programs, and workers’ compensation. Ensure benefit enrollment processes are completed accurately and in compliance with plan guidelines. Support ongoing and special benefits projects, including open enrollment, benefits communications, ACA reporting, wellness initiatives, and associate education. Review benefit invoices or support invoice reconciliation and payment approval. Coordinate benefit changes resulting from new hires, qualifying life events, status changes, and terminations. Leave Administration Administer FMLA and other company, state, and local leave programs. Coordinate leave status, documentation, benefit continuation, return‑to‑work information, and payroll impacts. Communicate leave requirements, deadlines, and responsibilities to associates and managers. Maintain complete and confidential leave records. Coordinate workplace accommodations with the appropriate HR leader. Provide guidance to hiring managers and associates related to leave administration and related payroll issues. Workers’ Compensation Administration Oversee Workers’ Compensation claim administration for Ohio (state‑funded) and all other states (fully insured). Coordinate monthly update meetings between the TPA and MCO, ensuring alignment on claim status, medical management, return‑to‑work progress, and corrective actions. Manage all aspects of Workers’ Compensation claims, serving as the central point of coordination between the injured worker, TPA, MCO, and workers’ compensation insurance carrier to ensure timely communication, documentation, and resolution. Attend monthly safety council meetings to stay informed on regulatory updates, safety trends, and best practices, and to support continuous improvement in workplace safety and injury prevention. Monitor claim trends and partner with internal stakeholders to identify opportunities for safety improvements and cost reduction. File all required OSHA logs company wide as well as in the OSHA site 401(k) Retirement Plan Administration Administer the company’s 401(k) retirement plan, including enrollments, contribution changes, beneficiary updates, and payroll deduction accuracy. Serve as primary liaison with the 401(k) recordkeeper, TPA, and investment advisor to ensure accurate data exchange and timely resolution of participant issues. Ensure compliance with ERISA, IRS regulations, DOL requirements, and the company’s plan document. Coordinate annual compliance activities, including nondiscrimination testing (ADP/ACP, Top‑Heavy), Form 5500 preparation, audit support, and distribution of required notices (Safe Harbor, QDIA, Fee Disclosure). Monitor eligibility tracking and ensure timely distribution of required notices and enrollment information. Support employee retirement education, including coordinating vendor‑led sessions and developing internal communication materials. Participate in plan governance activities, including reviewing service provider performance, fee disclosures, and plan design recommendations. What We’re Looking For Qualifications Required:• Minimum of five years of related experience in employee benefits, leave administration, workers’ compensation, or a related HR specialty. • Bachelors’ Bachelor’sdegree in Human Resources, or a combination of relevant education and experience. •Must have knowledge of compliance with federal and state labor law, such as ERISA, FMLA, COBRA, Section 125, and Patient Protection Affordable Care Act. •Must have a high level of customer service skills as it relates to helping our associates with benefit needs. Detail oriented and understand the need for confidentiality. •Experience with Workers Compensation third party administrator (TPA) and Medical Care Organizations(MCO) •Must have effective organizational skills. •Must operate under a high level of confidentiality •Should be familiar with using and manipulating human resources information system, reporting from the HRIS, manipulation of spreadsheets and visual data reporting. •Ability to communicate with all levels of the workforce both verbally and in writing. •Make complex recommendations requiring a large degree of judgment and problem-solving ability. •Detail oriented and understand the need for confidentiality. Licenses/Certifications/Registrations: • Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) preferredWallick’s Mission & ValuesAt Wallick Communities, we believe in opening doors to homes, opportunity, and hope for our residents, associates, and community. Our core values guide everything we do:Care – We show compassion and respect for everyone.Character – We do the right thing, even when no one is looking.Collaboration – We work together to achieve more.At Wallick, we celebrate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging (DEI+B) in our workplace and communities, creating an environment where associates feel welcome, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to the great work they do every day. For nearly 60 years, it has been at the core of our organization’s culture that all Wallick associates come to a safe and inclusive place to work. Wallick does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. Join Us and Become an Employee-Owner!If you're ready to make a difference in people’s lives while securing your financial future, apply today!*Employment is contingent upon passing a pre-employment background check and drug screen