Employee Benefit Specialist

Wayne Farms LLC; Kinston (NC); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Wayne Farms LLC is seeking an Employee Benefit Specialist to coordinate LOA, disability and FMLA leave, ensuring accurate data entry and compliance across systems.

The role serves as the primary contact for employees, benefits questions and enrollment processes, including 401(k) and other welfare programs.

You will partner with HR and Safety/EHS, manage open enrollment events, and identify workflow improvements to boost efficiency and accuracy.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year in an HR generalist role, leave administration preferred.
• FMLA/ADA knowledge preferred.
• Strong MS Office skills (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Proficient in English, written and verbal.
• Confidentiality and discretion with sensitive data.
• Detail-oriented with solid organizational and time management skills.
• Self-starter with initiative in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage FMLA, disability and personal leave tasks per policy and law.
• Serve as point of contact for employees, benefits and leaders; respond to questions on leaves and welfare programs.
• Update enrollment, status and verification in Workday; coordinate with Corporate Benefits when needed.
• Coordinate with Safety/EHS on Workers' Compensation claims; ensure data is accurate.
• Liaise with carriers and employees to facilitate information exchange for leaves and benefits.
• Coordinate open enrollment events and communicate changes to benefit plans.
• Assist HR on employee engagement projects.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and efficiency.

Skills

MS Office

Communication

Confidentiality

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

English proficiency

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Associate’s degree in a relevant field

Tools

Workday

Excel

Outlook

Job description

PRIMARY FUNCTION: The Employee Benefit Specialist acts as the central point of contact surrounding LOA, Disability and FMLA leaves, entering leave data, following up on issues and upkeep of associated employee leave files. Additionally, this role assists HR Manager and/or Supervisor with other departmental duties.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

• Manage employee FMLA, Disability and personal leave tasks per Company policies and Federal, State and local legal requirements; enter leave and return to work dates in appropriate system in a timely manner and follow up on inconsistencies or missing documentation and communicate to appropriate personnel
• Act as point of contact for employees, corporate benefits and plant leaders; respond to benefit questions concerning employee leaves, 401(k), or other employee welfare programs and assist employees with claim resolution, electronic processes and comprehension of benefit plan design when needed
• Update, research and resolve enrollment, marital status and dependent verification discrepancies in Workday to ensure vendors and payroll receive accurate eligibility, enrollment, and deduction information; partner with Corporate Benefits when unable to resolve benefits related issues
• Partner with Safety/ EHS on Workers Compensation claims, ensuring data is entered correctly and needed documentation is collected and readily available
• Act as a liaison between carrier and employee as needed to facilitate exchange of information, documentation collection and submission, etc. to facilitate leave approval, benefit enrollment or dependent verification process
• Partner with Corporate Benefits on all open enrollment events, new or revised programs, special events, etc; act as lead in coordinating meetings and follow-up to ensure employees are informed about changes to all benefit plans
• Actively participate in educating and notifying employees on benefit plans and enrollment opportunities
• Partner with HR team on all employee engagement projects
• Identify and communicate opportunities for process improvement to streamline processes and improve efficiency

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• None. This is an individual contributor role with required competencies: Functional/Technical Skills, Action Oriented, Problem Solving, Learning on the Fly, and Interpersonal Savvy

EDUCATION and CERTIFICATIONS:

• High School diploma or equivalent; Associate’s degree in a relevant field preferred

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

• Minimum one (1) year experience within a human resources generalist environment; experience in leave administration with knowledge of FMLA and ADA legal requirements highly preferred
• Strong computer skills with the ability to work with multiple Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.); knowledge/ experience with Workday or other similar HCM system preferred
• Must have the ability to effectively communicate in English, both verbal and written, with internal and external customers in a timely and professional manner; ability to communicate in multiple languages preferred
• Ability to work effectively with others, possessing tact and discretion and demonstrates high level of confidentiality in all matters
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills with the ability to prioritize
• Self-starter who demonstrates strong initiative and sense of urgency, with the ability to work in a fast paced environment

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:

• Follow and ensure others follow departmental and company safety policies and programs
• Wear required protective equipment in all areas where mandatory

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to remain stationary for extended periods of time
• Ability to work non-standard hours (i.e. holidays, weekends and/or extended shifts as needed per business need)

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.