Sr Benefits & Wellness Specialist (E3316) at Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. in Piscataway, New Jersey

Job Description:

Job Summary

The overall purpose for this position is to function as a subject matter expert (SME) in the IEEE Human Resources Department which is the proud recipient of the 2023 Cigna Healthy Workforce designation.  The Human Resources department is comprised of 21 staff members supporting a global staff of 1200 employees of which approximately 1100 are in four US locations in NJ, NY, DC, and CA.  IEEE has a global footprint of approximately 80 staff members located throughout Asia, India, and Europe.

The incumbent will be the SME for the IEEE staff on matters related to ERISA in general and to the IEEE benefits package in specific. They will consult with and informs the IEEE staff on a regular and routine basis regarding the benefits coverage provided by IEEE to the individual employee and his/her eligible dependents, as well as the limited benefits provided to the individual IEEE retiree.  The incumbent is expected to master the summary plan details of the defined benefit retirement savings plan, the Savings & Investment Plan, 457(b) savings plan, the Section 125 plans (including flexible spending accounts), medical and dental insurance, short-term disability compensation replacement, and long-term disability insurance. The IEEE employee benefits program is an extremely rich program, worth approximately 33% of the annual salary budget.

The role functions as an individual contributor and reports to the Manager, Benefits and Wellness.  This role is located in our Piscataway, New Jersey office.

Key Responsibilities

• Acts as subject matter expertise in the areas of ERISA / IEEE benefits programs.


• Assists with IEEE’s annual Benefits’ Open Enrollment including the plan timeline and resources for IEEE’s annual open enrollment period. This includes assisting with uploads of new benefit plans, and rates into the HRIS system, along with other Open Enrollment activities.


• Provides systems technical support; tests the benefits system functionality and works with end users to provide system support and troubleshoots system problems as they occur relating to benefits.


• Independently administers Leaves of Absence and Workers Compensation to ensure compliance with state and federal leave of absence/Family Leave laws as well as IEEE policies; This involves identifying leave types, approving, or denying requests, coordinating with state leave laws, calculating and monitoring leave duration, and coordinating return to work, processing paperwork, creating and distributing timely communication as appropriate, i.e. emails, letters, faxes, etc.


• Develops, reviews, and implements new policies, programs, processes, and procedures and updates LOA toolkit forms, templates, and policies as appropriate.


• Provides guidance, assesses risk, resolves issues, and escalates when appropriate to IEEE’s legal counsel as well as partner with the Employee Relations team on certain leave cases.


• Effectively interprets FMLA and ADA implications as they relate to leaves of absences/disabilities.


• Responds to ADA accommodation requests, which may require ergonomic assessments and recommendations for workstation modifications and working with Purchasing, Facilities, Employee Relations and IEEE Legal Counsel.


• Consults with and provides guidance to department management regarding leaves and accommodations; provides oversight to ensure consistency with job restructuring, job transfers, equipment modifications, and/or work schedule changes.


• Administers the IEEE’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan requests; Calculates pension estimates for all requesting participants.


• Requests full pension calculations for terminating employees as well as those who have previously left IEEE.


• Prepares all pension documentation for BONY for pension distributions.


• Reconciles pension benefit payments to trust statement on a monthly basis and reviews monthly disbursement reports from BONY to insure accuracy.


• Collects, organizes, and prepares data for actuarial assessments (ex. Annual Pension Valuation and pension audits)


• Processes Retiree PCNs (Personnel Change Notices) and Fusion HRIS updates for retirees as well as handling retiree reception and IEEE retiree gift


• Independently coordinates special projects such as annual 401 (k) auto increases, 401 (k) & FSA discrimination testing, OSHA Reporting; Age 65 pension benefit suspension annual letters to those 65 and over and distribution of Total Compensation Statements to employees. Also completes govt surveys when required.


• Prepares periodic as well as ad-hoc reports on employee data from HR system. This report data is then manipulated and presented at advanced levels in EXCEL.


• By providing administrative excellence, the Senior Benefits & Wellness Specialist ensures that changes and amendments to employee, dependent and retiree benefits are input into an automated records system in an accurate and timely manner, and are processed with the appropriate insurers, brokers, corporate entities, and government agencies in an accurate and timely manner.


• The information received from employees is highly confidential and is subject to HIPAA and other laws that govern privacy in benefits and employee personal information. Manual and automated files must be maintained in audit-ready condition.


• Communicates benefit program details to the staff, dependents and retirees personally, via e-mail, fax and correspondence, and via articles written for Inside IEEE when necessary.


• Writes letters and e-mails that communicate benefit changes in a clear, concise, and legally compliant manner.


• Conducts one-on-one meetings with staff in a highly confidential environment that is subject to HIPAA and other laws that govern privacy in benefits and employee personal information.


• Maintains audit-ready files and records in conformity with regulatory compliance.


• Fulfills tasks in a confidential, legally binding environment, subject to laws that govern employee benefits and employee privacy.

Qualifications - External

Education

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, or Liberal Arts subject that emphasized research and writing excellence Req

Work Experience

• 4-7 years in pension, 401(k), Benefits Administration, LOA, Wellness, and general Human Resources Req

Skills and Requirements

• Subject matter expertise with ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, the Pension Protection Act, and all other federal and state laws governing employee pensions, savings plans, and benefits.


• Excellent communication skills; presents to small groups (up to 100 staff) and regularly drafts correspondence, e-mail, insurance, and government agency forms and reports.


• Life-cycle project management skills


• Strong customer service work ethic


• Effective worker in a highly confidential environment with tight deadlines


• Strong organizational skills; ability to maintain files and records in an audit-ready condition.


• Must be a technologically savvy knowledge worker who seeks out technology solutions to business challenges. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Gmail/Google environment, human resources information systems (HRIS), and knowledge of products used via Web-based portals, and capable of processing, documenting, and filing information and invoices via automated systems, knowledge of Oracle Fuson a plus.

Other Requirements:

As defined in IEEE Policies, individuals currently serving on an IEEE board or committee are not eligible to apply.

PLEASE NOTE: This position is not budgeted for employer-sponsored immigration support, this includes all persons in F (both CPT and OPT), J, H, L, or O status.

For information on work demands and conditions required for this position, please consult the reference document, "Physical, Mental, and Work Environment Standards for IEEE Positions." This position is classified under Category I - Office Positions.

IEEE is an EEO/AAP Employer/Protected Veteran/Disabled

===============================================

Disclaimer: This job description is proprietary to IEEE. It outlines the general nature and key features performed by various positions that share the same job classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and qualifications required of all employees assigned to the job. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or re-assign duties to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodations or other business reasons.