Benefit & Leave Administrator

Essen Health Care; New York (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Essen Health Care is seeking a Human Resources Business Partner, responsible for the administration and management of employee benefits and leave functions across a multi-state workforce.

The ideal candidate will oversee benefit programs, respond to employee inquiries, and ensure compliance with regulations. A bachelor's degree in HR or Business Administration and 3-5 years of experience in benefits administration are preferred.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of benefits and leave administration experience preferred.
• Experience with multi-state leave programs and employee benefit plans.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Administer and coordinate employee benefit programs.
• Process employee enrollments and leave of absence requests.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

Skills

Benefits Administration

Leave Management

Compliance Knowledge

Payroll Coordination

Analytical Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or Business Administration

Tools

HRIS

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Human Resources Business Partner, Benefits Administration

The Business Partner is responsible for the day‑to‑day administration, coordination, and processing of all employee benefit programs and leave management functions across a multi‑state workforce. This role oversees medical, dental, vision, ancillary benefits, 401(k), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), employee enrollments, payroll‑related benefit processing, vendor funding, and benefits compliance. The Business Partner serves as a primary point of contact for employees regarding benefits, leave requests, enrollments, qualifying life events, and benefit‑related inquiries while ensuring accurate maintenance of employee records across HRIS, payroll, and benefits platforms. This position also manages leave of absence administration, including Workers’ Compensation, Disability Benefits Law (DBL), Paid Family Leave (PFL), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), New York State leave programs, and other applicable multi‑state leave laws and regulations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Benefits Administration

• Administer employee benefit programs including
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Life Insurance
  • Disability
  • Ancillary benefits
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
  • 401(k) Retirement Plans
• Process employee enrollments, terminations, benefit changes, and qualifying life events.
• Maintain and update employee benefit elections and status changes accurately within HRIS, payroll, and benefits administration systems.
• Ensure employee deductions and employer contributions are accurately reflected in payroll and benefits platforms.
• Respond to day‑to‑day employee benefit inquiries and resolve benefit‑related issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Coordinate and administer annual open enrollment processes, employee communications, benefit meetings, and enrollment audits.
• Partner with Payroll, HRIS, Finance, and external vendors to ensure accurate benefits processing and funding.

401(k), HSA & Payroll Funding Administration

• Process and coordinate 401(k) contribution files and HSA funding activities.
• Upload ACH funding files and ensure timely and accurate transmission to vendors and financial institutions.
• Review payroll deduction files for accuracy prior to benefit funding submissions.
• Coordinate pre‑tax and Roth contribution processing in compliance with applicable regulations and IRS requirements.
• Assist with retirement plan audits, compliance testing, reconciliation activities, and vendor reporting.

Benefits Reconciliation & Vendor Management

• Reconcile monthly benefit invoices against enrollment records and payroll deductions.
• Audit employee eligibility, deductions, carrier enrollments, and billing discrepancies.
• Work directly with vendors, carriers, Payroll, and Finance to resolve billing or enrollment issues.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation related to benefits processing and reconciliation activities.

Leave of Absence Administration

• Administer and track multi‑state leave of absence requests including
  • FMLA
  • NYS Paid Family Leave (PFL)
  • Disability Benefits Law (DBL)
  • Workers’ Compensation
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • ADA‑related leaves and accommodations
  • Personal leaves
  • Parental leave
  • Military leave
  • Other applicable federal, state, and local leave laws
• Coordinate leave intake, documentation, approvals, extensions, return‑to‑work clearances, and employee communication.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable multi‑state leave regulations and internal leave procedures.
• Serve as liaison between employees, managers, Payroll, HR, insurance carriers, and third‑party administrators regarding leave administration.

Workers’ Compensation Administration

• Process and manage Workers’ Compensation claims and documentation.
• Coordinate communication with employees, managers, insurance carriers, and medical providers.
• Track claim status, return‑to‑work dates, restrictions, and required documentation.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA, NYS leave laws, and other federal, state, and local regulations.
• Assist with audits, reporting, benefits testing, and compliance initiatives.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee and benefit information.
• Generate reports related to benefits, leave administration, enrollments, deductions, and employee participation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 3‑5 years of benefits and leave administration experience preferred.
• Experience administering multi‑state leave programs and employee benefit plans.
• Strong understanding of payroll deductions, benefits funding, and reconciliation processes.
• Experience with HRIS, payroll, benefits administration, and leave management systems.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent communication and employee service skills.
• Ability to manage confidential information with discretion.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting experience preferred.

Preferred Experience

• Healthcare industry experience preferred.
• Experience with systems such as UKG, NetSuite, Fidelity Investments, BenConnect, or similar HRIS and benefits platforms preferred.
• Experience with ACA reporting, benefits compliance testing, and leave management compliance preferred.

Key Competencies

• Benefits Administration
• Leave Management
• Compliance & Regulatory Knowledge
• Payroll Coordination
• Reconciliation & Auditing
• Employee Relations & Customer Service
• Attention to Detail
• Organizational Skills
• Confidentiality
• Multi‑Tasking & Time Management
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration

ESSEN HEALTH CARE IS PROUD TO BE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Essen Health care is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we seek candidates who desire to work in and serve an ethnically diverse population.