Benefits & Leave Administrator

Whitsons Culinary Group•Town of Islip, NY

2h•$31 - $34•Hybrid

About The Position

The HR Administrator – Leave of Absence and Benefits is responsible for the day-to-day administration of employee benefits programs and leave of absence processes across the organization. This position serves as a primary point of contact for team members regarding benefits, leaves, and related HR transactions. The role ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations while delivering a high level of customer service and maintaining accurate employee records.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; bachelor’s degree preferred.
Minimum of 2-3 years of Human Resources, Benefits Administration, or Leave of Absence Administration experience.
Knowledge of federal and state employment laws related to benefits and leave administration.
Experience administering FMLA, ADA, state leave programs, disability benefits, and employee benefit plans.
Experience working with HRIS and payroll systems.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and critical thinking skills with a customer service mindset
Ability to influence, build trust, and collaborate across departments.
Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
High attention to detail, professionalism, and discretion in handling sensitive information.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, including Excel, Word, and Outlook

Nice To Haves

bachelor’s degree preferred

Responsibilities

Administer all leave programs, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), state family leave, Paid Family Leave (PFL), short- and long-term disability, ADA-related leave, military leave, and other company-sponsored leave programs, ensuring timely, consistent, and compliant handling from the initial request through return to work or separation.
Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers regarding leave requests, eligibility requirements, and return-to-work processes.
Coordinate leave administration with third-party administrators, benefit carriers, payroll, managers, and employees.
Track leave usage, maintain required documentation, and ensure timely communication throughout the leave lifecycle.
Support the Manager, Benefits in the day-to-day administration of employee benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement plans, and voluntary benefits.
Support the annual open enrollment process, including communications planning, employee orientation sessions, election audits, and post-enrollment reconciliation; verify and reconcile monthly premium statements and billing for all group plans.
Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life event changes, terminations, and annual open enrollment activities.
Coordinate with benefit carriers, brokers, and vendors to resolve employee issues and ensure accurate plan administration.
Provide backup support for the administration of the Company's Benefit technology platforms, assisting with system maintenance, data management, reporting, user support, and vendor coordination as needed.
Support the administrative and financial aspects of Benefits and HR Operations, including processing invoices, reconciling benefit plan billing, and partnering with Payroll and vendors to resolve discrepancies and ensure accurate reporting.
Maintain HRIS data integrity through timely uploads, data entry, audits, and system updates, ensuring employee records, benefits information, and organizational data remain accurate and current.
Ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations related to benefits, leave administration, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, ERISA, and other relevant requirements.
Maintain confidential employee information and records in accordance with company policies and legal requirements.
Assist with audits, reporting requirements, and annual compliance activities.
Prepare routine reports, metrics, and analysis related to benefits and leave administration.
Partner closely with Payroll, Human Resources Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and external vendors to ensure seamless employee experience.
Provide support on a variety of HR operations and administrative matters as needed.
Adapt to evolving organizational priorities by taking on special assignments and interim responsibilities as requested.