Benefits Specialist

Meritus Health; Hagerstown (MD); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

401k plan

Education assistance

Employee assistance program

Paid time off

Shift differential

Job summary

Meritus Health is seeking a Benefits Specialist to support team members with medical, dental, and vision coverage and other benefits. You will process enrollments, changes, and questions, while maintaining accurate records and coordinating with HRIS, payroll, and vendors to ensure a smooth employee experience.

The role requires strong customer service, attention to detail, and the ability to explain benefits clearly.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years of administrative support experience in HR, benefits administration, or medical insurance.
• Strong customer service skills and a genuine interest in helping employees understand and use their benefits.
• Ability to explain detailed information clearly and respectfully.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate, confidential records.
• Ability to organize competing priorities and follow through within timeframes.
• Sound judgment to recognize when escalation is needed.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and HR systems.
• Ability to research routine questions and follow procedures.
• Basic knowledge of employee benefits terminology and privacy requirements.

Responsibilities

• Assist team members with questions about medical, dental, and vision coverage and other benefits.
• Explain resources and help employees navigate next steps.
• Process new-hire enrollments and life event changes.
• Review submissions for completeness and follow up on missing information.
• Maintain accurate and confidential benefit records.
• Review routine reports and coordinate corrections with Benefits leadership, HRIS, Payroll, or vendors.
• Provide administrative support for attendance tracking.
• Educate team members via one-on-one help, email, and orientation materials.
• Research routine questions and document actions taken.
• Contact vendors to obtain information and correct enrollment issues.
• Support annual open enrollment and employee education sessions.
• Provide backup support to the Leave Specialist and escalate complex matters.

Skills

Customer service

Attention to detail

Records management

Time management

Communication

MS Word

MS Excel

MS Outlook

Researching questions

Problem solving

Education

Associate degree (preferred)

Tools

HRIS systems

Web-based HR systems

Job description

Help Team Members Navigate Their Benefits With Confidence

Meritus Health is seeking a service-focused and detail-oriented Benefits Specialist to provide responsive support for our health and benefit programs.

In this role, you will help team members understand their benefit options, complete enrollment-related changes, resolve routine questions, and access the appropriate resources. You will also maintain accurate records, support attendance tracking, and collaborate with benefits leadership, the Leave Specialist, HRIS, Payroll, and benefit vendors to provide a consistent and helpful employee experience.

What You’ll Do

• Assist team members at all organizational levels with questions about medical, dental, and vision coverage; flexible spending and health savings accounts; life and AD&D insurance; disability coverage; and voluntary benefits
• Explain available resources and help employees navigate next steps without interpreting plan provisions beyond the role’s authority
• Process new-hire enrollments, qualifying life event changes, beneficiary updates, evidence-of-insurability requests, and other routine benefit transactions
• Review submissions for completeness and follow up when information or documentation is missing
• Maintain accurate and confidential benefit records and supporting documentation
• Review routine reports, identify discrepancies, and coordinate corrections with Benefits leadership, HRIS, Payroll, or benefit vendors
• Provide administrative support for attendance tracking, including maintaining accurate records, reviewing routine attendance information, and routing discrepancies or policy questions to the appropriate leader
• Educate team members through one-on-one assistance, email, printed materials, orientation, the company intranet, and other approved communication channels
• Research routine benefit questions, track open items through resolution, document actions taken, and provide timely updates
• Contact benefit vendors to obtain information and correct routine enrollment or eligibility issues
• Support annual open enrollment, benefit fairs, employee education sessions, and special enrollment activities
• Provide backup support to the Leave Specialist by answering general process questions, directing employees to required forms and resources, and routing leave cases for review
• Escalate complex, sensitive, or policy-related matters to Benefits leadership or the appropriate subject-matter expert

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Two years of administrative support experience in a human resources department, benefits administration, or medical insurance role
• Strong customer service skills and a genuine interest in helping employees understand and use their benefits
• Ability to explain detailed information clearly and respectfully
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate, confidential records
• Ability to organize competing priorities, manage multiple employee questions and transactions, and follow through within expected timeframes
• Sound judgment to recognize when an issue requires escalation
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and web-based benefits or human resources systems
• Ability to research routine questions, follow established procedures, and work independently and collaboratively
• Basic knowledge of employee benefit terminology and applicable privacy requirements, or the ability to learn them quickly

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate degree in business, human resources, or a related field
• Experience assisting employees with benefit programs
• Benefits or human resources certification

Caring for Our Team

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees' well-being and professional growth. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance available starting the 1st of the month following date of hire, along with life insurance, & short and long-term disability coverage. Paid Time Off begins accruing from day one, and we also provide a 401k plan, an education assistance program, and an employee assistance program. Additionally, employees working evening, night, or weekend shifts may be eligible for a shift differential, adding even more value to your role.

Happy to Help

At Meritus, we believe in a collaborative and caring work environment. Interactions are an opportunity to learn, listen and to be there for one another. Therefore, we provide warm welcomes, hospitality-driven closures, and are always Happy to Help.