Benefits Administrator 1

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Full-Time Regular (FTR)

LOCATION: Oak Ridge, TN or Hybrid (Partial telework available)

*SALARY RANGE: $22.91 to $31.86 an hour

TELEWORK: Partial telework is available (Working from home 3-4 days a week and in office 1-2 days a week). This position will be required to work in the office in Oak Ridge, TN.

PURPOSE:

Provides analysis and coordination to Oak Ridge Associated University (ORAU’s) benefit plans, particularly non-employee healthcare plans. Performs enrollment and invoice processing. Troubleshoots complaints and questions between health plans and employees and providers.

Human Resources Non-Employee Insurance Program:

• Serves as lead administrator on Benefits Administration software.
• Manages ORAU’s Non-Employee Insurance Program.
• Coordinates ORAU’s healthcare plan benefit processing for non-employees including enrollments, terminations, and personal information changes.
• Maintains training manuals, frequently asked questions (FAQ’s), and templates related to non-employee insurance processes.
• Maintains knowledge of the Zintellect program and facilitates program development discussions.
• Provides periodic training sessions regarding non-employee insurance to Program units.
• Maintains knowledge of benefit plans, regulations, and ORAU program requirements.

Benefits Administration:

• Reconciles invoices and prepares reports for all medical, dental, vision, Section 125, and voluntary benefit plans.
• Maintains insurance report monitoring enrollment result changes and age outs for benefit impacts.
• Responsible for vendor census file creation.
• Assists employees, retirees, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) participants, and Displaced Workers with Benefit related needs.
• Participates in and provides input regarding negotiations for medical, prescription, drug, dental, and vision contracts and extensions. Participates in vendor representative meetings to discuss contract changes, renewals, and administrative issues. Assists in communicating changes to employees.
• Responsible for updating Human Resources (HR) website and repositories.
• Assists with backup for Leave Administration including Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Leave Without Pay (LWOP), Paid Parental Leave, Medical Emergency Leave Sharing Plan, and Major Disaster Leave Sharing Plan.

Benefits Coordination:

• Performs participant enrollments, terminations, and personal information changes in health insurance and Section 125 plans. 
• Researches and resolves employee concerns and claim problems related to healthcare plans including direct contact with participants, health insurance vendors, and healthcare providers (physicians and hospitals). Refers complex cases to the Senior Manager, Total Rewards or the Benefits Team Leader.
• Ensures employee understanding of all health insurance and Section 125 plans by verbal and written communication and by counseling employees and dependents as situations arise.  
• Participates in and provides input regarding negotiations for medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision contracts and extensions. Prepares related documentation. Participates in vendor representative meetings to discuss contract changes, renewals, and administrative issues. Assists with communicating changes to employees.
• Coordinates and administers ORAU’s service and retirement award program.

Compliance:

• Provides Quality Assurance (QA) review for Service Contract Act Compliance related to Health and Welfare, holiday, and Paid-Time Off (PTO) hour usage.
• Ensures compliance with local, state, and federal benefits laws.
• Provides COBRA Initial Notices and Qualifying Life Event Notices.
• Responsible for Variable Hour Tracking.

Wellness Plan Administration:

• Coordinates and serves as the main point of contact for employees involved in the ORAU Live Well wellness program.
• Develops communications related to wellness program and other related initiatives.

Perform other duties as assigned:

Includes assignments in other Human Resources areas. Performs back-up support to Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) team, as needed.

Bachelor’s degree preferred in business, scientific, technical, education or related field and 0 – 2 years of job-related experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience requiring similar knowledge, skills, abilities, and performing duties as described may be substituted for the minimum requirements which include (associate degree and 4 years of experience or high school diploma and 8 years of experience).

Required:

• Intermediate to advanced skills and experience in Microsoft (MS) Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Ability to Meet deadlines.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Detail oriented and able to prioritize tasks.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
• Effective communication skills both oral and written.
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with people in stressful situations.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong accuracy and attention to detail.
• Good problem-solving skills.

Preferred:

• Experience with Oracle HR applications.
• Experience in benefit plan employee communications.
• Experience in database entry and management.
• Experience in health insurance record-keeping and processing.
• Experience in interacting with and providing administrative services to internal and external customers.
• Experience in health insurance plan administration, including enrollment, invoice reconciliation and processing, and claims’ problem-solving.
• Proven compliance with protected personal health information (PHI) and personal identifiable information (PII) handling and care.
• Experience and working familiarity with Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), COBRA, Affordable Care Act (ACA), and Section 125.
• Knowledge of benefit health insurance contracts language (medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and Section 125 plans).

*The candidate’s starting salary will be determined upon hire and ORAU will use salary survey data, internal comparators, and the candidate’s qualifications to determine salary.

TOTAL REWARDS

ORAU has a strategic approach to providing total rewards to employees through a fair, equitable, and competitive total compensation package. The goal of our total rewards system is to integrate compensation, benefits, work-life balance, performance, recognition, development, and career opportunities to attract, engage, and retain the talent required to achieve ORAU’s business objectives.  The benefit component of our total rewards program supports business goals by offering the following benefits based on employee eligibility:

• Legally required benefits
• Group Health insurance including: Medical, Prescription, Dental, and Vision
• Retirement plan contribution matching
• Disability insurance
• Group life insurance
• Travel Accident Insurance
• Section 125 reimbursement accounts
• Other voluntary employee paid benefit and insurance offerings.

The ORAU total reward package also promotes work-life balance. Mindful of the need for employees to care for themselves and their families, ORAU offers the following additional work-life benefits based on employee eligibility:

• Telework
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Flexible work schedules or compressed work weeks
• Occupational Health and Wellness Programs
• Employee Assistance Program