Specialist, Benefits & Leave of Absence

Renuity•Charlotte, NC

17h

About The Position

The Benefits & LOA Specialist is responsible for the daily administration and operational support of the company’s benefits and leave programs. This role ensures employees receive timely, accurate assistance with health and welfare benefits, retirement plans, wellness offerings, and all leave‑of‑absence programs. The Specialist partners closely with HRBPs, Payroll, managers, and external vendors to provide high‑quality service, maintain compliance, and support an excellent employee experience across a multi‑state environment.

Requirements

Minimum of 3 years of experience in benefits administration, LOA administration, or related HR operations.
Experience working with HRIS and benefits administration systems; comfort navigating multiple platforms and vendors.
Strong customer service skills with the ability to translate complex benefits and leave rules into understandable guidance.
Excellent attention to detail, prioritization, and organizational skills in a high‑volume, deadline‑driven environment.
Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively with employees, managers, vendors, and HR partners.

Nice To Haves

Prefer experience in multi‑state environments and/or complex organizations undergoing change or growth.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefit inquiries, providing clear guidance on medical, dental, vision, life, disability, wellness programs, retirement plans, and other benefits.
Process day‑to‑day benefit transactions, including new hire enrollments, qualifying life events (QLEs), terminations, and corrections in HRIS/benefits systems.
Support annual open enrollment activities, including system preparation, testing, employee communications, troubleshooting, and coordination with vendors.
Assist with data audits, eligibility reconciliations, and billing reviews to ensure accuracy between HR/Payroll systems and benefit providers.
Maintain benefits documentation, employee guides, intranet content, and resource materials to ensure information is current and accessible.
Coordinate with vendors to resolve claim issues, escalations, and employee concerns in a timely and service‑oriented manner.
Support compliance activities, including ACA reporting, HIPAA processes, ERISA notices, and other regulatory requirements as assigned.
Assist employees with 401(k) enrollment questions, contribution changes, loans, and general plan inquiries.
Coordinate with the retirement plan provider on participant issues, data corrections, and routine administration needs.
Support annual processes such as nondiscrimination testing and Form 5500 by gathering data and collaborating with internal partners.
Serve as the day‑to‑day support contact for employee leave requests, including FMLA, state leave programs, STD/LTD, parental leave, and company‑provided leaves.
Partner with third‑party LOA administrators to ensure timely initiation, tracking, and processing of leaves.
Communicate leave status, documentation requirements, return‑to‑work details, and policy expectations to employees and managers.
Coordinate LOA‑related payroll actions such as pay adjustments, benefit premium changes, and time‑off entries.
Maintain accurate LOA records, ensuring documentation is filed, updated, and compliant with federal/state regulations.
Identify issues or trends in leave processing and help implement process improvements to enhance employee experience and consistency.
Provide tier‑2 support to HRBPs, managers, and Payroll on benefits and leave questions requiring detailed knowledge or case review.
Assist with vendor scorecard reviews, service escalations, and routine performance check‑ins.
Support HR projects such as plan updates, vendor transitions, system enhancements, and employee communication campaigns.