Benefit and Leave Specialist

Ascent Aerospace•Macomb, MI

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Benefits and Leave Specialist is responsible for the administration, coordination, and support of employee benefit and leave of absence programs while ensuring compliance, accuracy, and exceptional employee service. This role serves as a key resource for employees and managers regarding benefits, leave administration, and HRIS processes. The Benefits and Leave Specialist will support the organization’s health and welfare plans, retirement programs, and leave programs while driving process improvements and maintaining data integrity within Dayforce and other HR systems.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required
Minimum of 5–6 years of experience in employee benefits and leave administration.
Previous experience with Dayforce (Ceridian) preferred; strong HRIS experience required.
Working knowledge of employee benefits and leave regulations including ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, FMLA, ADA, and workers’ compensation administration.
Experience managing leave cases, benefits enrollments, reconciliations, and vendor coordination.
Strong analytical and reporting skills with proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills.
Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
This position must meet Export Control compliance requirements; therefore, a “U.S. Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62 is required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), SHRM, PHR, or related certification preferred.
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
Effective speaking and listening skills.
Ability to work on assignments where all tasks are not completely mapped
Should exhibit high levels of professionalism.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Ability to think independently and problem solve.

Responsibilities

Administer employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, FSA/HSA, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives.
Coordinate and process employee benefit enrollments, changes, terminations, and qualifying life events.
Administer leave of absence programs including FMLA, ADA, short-term disability, long-term disability, workers’ compensation, paid parental leave, and other applicable leave programs.
Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers regarding benefits and leave inquiries, providing guidance and resolving issues in a timely and professional manner.
Coordinate leave documentation, approvals, tracking, return-to-work processes, and ongoing employee communication.
Partner with managers, HR, Payroll, and third-party administrators to ensure proper administration of leave and benefits programs.
Maintain accurate benefits and leave records and ensure data integrity within Dayforce and other HRIS systems.
Audit benefit deductions, leave records, eligibility files, carrier invoices, and payroll-related benefits data for accuracy.
Partner with Payroll to ensure accurate processing of benefit deductions and leave-related pay transactions.
Coordinate annual open enrollment activities including employee communications, system testing, and employee education.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations related to benefits and leave administration including ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, FMLA, ADA, and applicable wage and hour laws.
Prepare and support required reporting, audits, and filings related to employee benefits and leave programs.
Develop and maintain benefits and leave-related reports, dashboards, and employee communications.
Identify opportunities for process improvements, automation, and system optimization.
Maintain confidentiality of employee information and sensitive documentation.
Support HRIS administration related to Benefits, including benefit configuration and maintenance, workflows, system updates, reporting, troubleshooting, audits, and ensuring data integrity across benefit and employee records.
Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned by management.