Human Resources Specialist - Benefits & Leave Operations

UG2•Boston, MA

5d•Remote

About The Position

The Human Resources Specialist - Benefits & Leave Operations provides national operational, transactional, and employee-service support for UG2's benefit and leave programs. The position owns recurring benefits administration and assigned leave transactions, including HRIS updates, vendor data requests, document processing, secure recordkeeping, mailings, and routine employee support. Leave-related work is performed in coordination with the Leave of Absence Specialist II, who retains responsibility for case strategy, eligibility and legal determinations, complex accommodations, denied claims, employee and manager case follow-up, return-to-work review, contact letter escalation, and other higher-risk matters. By providing dependable cross-functional support, this role improves accuracy, response time, process consistency, and continuity of service across Benefits and Leave Operations.

Requirements

Minimum of 3 years of experience in employee benefits, leave administration support, HR operations, or a closely related Human Resources function.
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field with at least 3 years of relevant experience; in the absence of a degree, a minimum of 5 years of directly relevant experience is required.
Working knowledge of employee benefit administration, COBRA, FMLA, ADA and PWFA accommodation processes, and applicable state leave requirements sufficient to process routine transactions and recognize when escalation is required.
Experience working with an HRIS such as ADP Vantage and with benefit, COBRA, or leave administration vendor systems; experience with Unum is preferred.
Demonstrated ability to manage high-volume, deadline-driven transactional work while maintaining accuracy, follow-through, confidentiality, and service standards.
Strong data reconciliation, audit, reporting, document-management, and recordkeeping skills; proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, and Teams.
Ability to read and apply plan documents, standard operating procedures, policies, vendor instructions, and regulatory guidance while distinguishing routine processing from matters requiring senior review.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to explain processes clearly to employees, managers, vendors, and HR partners.
Demonstrated customer-service orientation, sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion when handling sensitive medical, leave, payroll, and benefit information.
Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and collaborate effectively in a national, multi-state environment.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English and Spanish capability is preferred.
Professional certification such as SHRM-CP, PHR, CEBS, or a leave- or benefits-related certification is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Review new hire benefit elections for accuracy, completeness, and eligibility, and ensure elections are correctly reflected in ADP and applicable carrier systems.
Process approved benefit corrections and qualified life event changes, obtain required supporting documentation, and confirm completion within plan and regulatory deadlines.
Verify employee and dependent eligibility, monitor overage dependents, and coordinate required coverage updates and employee notifications.
Support COBRA administration by maintaining accurate termination and eligibility data, updating the applicable portal, and resolving routine discrepancies.
Respond to routine employee and manager questions regarding benefit eligibility, enrollment, coverage, and available resources; escalate plan interpretation, exception, and appeal matters to the Benefits Manager.
Support annual Open Enrollment planning and execution, including communications, materials, employee assistance, data validation, and post-enrollment reconciliation.
Conduct benefit data audits and reconcile discrepancies among ADP, carrier records, payroll deductions, enrollment files, and vendor systems.
Track benefit corrections, employee inquiries, and outstanding transactions through resolution while meeting established service and response standards.
Review benefit vendor invoices for accuracy, validate supporting data, prepare invoices for payment, and submit complete documentation to Accounts Payable.
Research and resolve discrepancies with benefit vendors, Payroll, Finance, Human Resources, and other internal partners.
Prepare and process approved Integrated Pay or PTO supplementation documentation during leaves based on authorized instructions and communicate accurate payment information to Payroll.
Support payroll deduction reviews and corrections related to benefit elections, approved leave status, and authorized employee changes.
Process Qualified Medical Child Support Orders, National Medical Support Notices, and other benefit-related court or agency orders within established deadlines.
Coordinate required updates with employees, carriers, COBRA administrators, Payroll, and other stakeholders, and maintain complete supporting records.
Escalate unclear, contested, or high-risk orders to the Benefits Manager, HR leadership, or Legal before action is taken.
Perform routine leave intake and administrative case setup assigned by the Leave of Absence Specialist II, including creating case records, organizing source documents, and confirming that required employee and employment data are available.
Enter new leaves, approved extensions, confirmed status changes, and confirmed return-to-work dates in ADP and other approved systems based on written direction or an authorized vendor notification.
Complete routine employer information requests from Unum or other approved leave vendors and submit schedules, hours worked, payroll records, hire dates, job information, and other requested employment data within required timeframes.
Review and respond to routine Unum notifications and information requests; promptly route denials, discrepancies, exceptions, complex accommodations, disputed facts, or unclear determinations to the Leave of Absence Specialist II.
Record completed transactions and current approved dates in designated systems or trackers to support accurate case visibility; escalate inconsistencies rather than independently changing case determinations.
Prepare standard documentation packages after content has been approved, create FedEx or certified-mail labels, and retain mailing and delivery confirmation.
Process approved leave-related Change of Status forms and other standardized HRIS transactions after confirming that required documentation and approvals are complete.
Maintain organized electronic records for assigned leave transactions and securely store supporting employment documentation in the appropriate employee or case file.
Provide transactional backup coverage for routine leave administration during peak periods or absences while substantive case ownership, deadline monitoring, employee and manager follow-up, return-to-work review, contact letters, personal leave decisions, and complex case management remain with the Leave of Absence Specialist II.
Receive and route accommodation requests and provide approved interactive-process materials, capabilities assessment forms, and documentation instructions at the direction of the Leave of Absence Specialist II or responsible HR decision-maker.
Coordinate scheduling and meeting logistics for interactive-process discussions involving employees, managers, HR Business Partners, and other stakeholders.
Collect and securely file accommodation documentation, identify missing administrative components, and route the information for substantive review without interpreting medical restrictions or making accommodation determinations.
Prepare draft accommodation correspondence using approved templates after the decision and required terms have been provided by the Leave of Absence Specialist II, HR leadership, or Legal.
Record approved implementation details in designated systems and support administrative coordination; escalate potential undue hardship, legal questions, disputed restrictions, approval or denial decisions, and follow-up case management to the Leave of Absence Specialist II and HR leadership.
Provide timely, respectful, and solution-oriented support regarding benefit enrollment, routine leave processes, claim initiation, documentation submission, and available resources while maintaining clear role boundaries.
Support and co-facilitate manager and employee training related to benefits, leave administration procedures, system transactions, documentation standards, and confidentiality requirements.
Maintain process guides, standard communications, templates, frequently asked questions, and job aids in partnership with the Benefits Manager, Leave of Absence Specialist II, and Learning & Development.
Identify recurring questions, transaction delays, service gaps, and training needs and recommend practical process improvements.
Maintain complete, accurate, secure, and confidential records in ADP Vantage, approved vendor portals, case-management tools, and secure HR repositories.
Ensure benefit, leave, medical, and accommodation records are stored in accordance with company policy, privacy requirements, retention standards, separation requirements, and access controls.
Reconcile assigned benefit and leave transactions against source documentation, system records, vendor data, and payroll information and coordinate correction of identified discrepancies.
Prepare routine operational metrics regarding benefit corrections, vendor requests, transaction volume, turnaround time, document processing, mailings, and system updates; provide data support for leave reports owned by the Leave of Absence Specialist II.
Support internal and external audits, data requests, compliance reviews, and reporting requirements.
Perform periodic quality reviews of assigned work to identify missing documents, inaccurate coding, duplicate records, or unresolved transactions and coordinate corrective action.
Participate in cross-training and provide dependable backup coverage across Benefits and Leave Operations to support continuity of service.
Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned, consistent with the position's scope and level.