Benefits Specialist

Schedule Weekly Hours:

Gundersen Health System is seeking a positive, customer service oriented individual to join our growing Benefits team!

As a Benefits Specialist, you will be involved with coordinating the administration of employee benefit programs such as health and dental coverage, group life insurance, disability insurance, and qualified and voluntary benefit plans. You will also be tasked with maintaining benefit records and documents.

Responsibilities Include:

• Educate and inform employees of rights and options under various benefit plans. Answer employee questions and provide guidance in respect to benefit choices daily.

• Provide individual consultations for employees anticipating retirement to explain continuing coverage under the health and welfare plans, for beneficiaries upon employees' deaths to complete life claim and to transition other benefits to beneficiary, and for injured or sick employees who need to file disability claims.

• Assist in writing and distribution of plan documents, working in partnership with Benefit Broker and Carriers to continually review materials for accuracy, direct rewrites, and facilitate distribution to employees.

• Oversee and coordinate work of third-party administrator for processing of Medical Reimbursement and Dependent Care Reimbursement accounts to assure that claims submitted are paid in compliance with the law and processed timely so as to meet payroll deadlines for reimbursement on employees' paychecks.

• Audit new employee benefit elections, assuring elections are properly completed and submitted to Carrier(s), and payroll deductions are established on a timely basis.

• Provide terminating employees with COBRA notices for health and dental plans as well as conversion rights under life and disability plans. Work individually with employees to assist them in understanding rights and options available to them.

• Work directly with Carriers to resolve coverage and benefit problems as they arise. Maintain ongoing relationship with Carrier periodically reviewing benefit offering and flow of information to assure both meet the needs of Organization as well as the Employee and then work directly with Carrier to implement change when necessary.

• Assist in implementation of new benefit programs and/or change in Carriers/Benefit offering. This may involve completing survey requests, retrieving census data from Workday, developing, and reviewing communication materials, and conducting employee education sessions.

• Keep current on benefit law updates and new developments, implementing change in process where necessary, and amending written materials as needed to be compliant with the law.

• Coordinate annual open enrollment process. Establish open enrollment timeline to account for actual period of enrollment, data summarization, and transfer of data to Carriers and third-party administrators. Develop and distribute communication materials to employees. Review electronic enrollment files and provide to Carriers to accomplish actual enrollment.

• Triaging employee questions on the HR Service Portal.

• Assists in special projects as needed.

What's Available:

• 1.0 FTE, 80 hours bi-weekly

• Schedule: Monday-Friday Days

• Hybrid eligible with expectation to work onsite in La Crosse, WI or Green Bay, WI once a week.

What You'll Need:

• Associate degree in Business Administration or Human Resources, Required

• 3-4 years experience in Human Resources or 3 years relevant work experience

• Foundational experience working with employee benefits

• Detail Oriented and strong problem-solving skills

• Competitive Benefits:We offer a comprehensive package including medical, dental, pet insurance, and a generous retirement contribution.

• Work-Life Balance:We prioritize your well-being with a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program, generous PTO, and paid holidays.

• Professional Development:Invest in your future with our Tuition Invest Program (up to $3,000 per year), access to hundreds of internal courses, and our Career Development Center.

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:We foster a welcoming environment with an inclusive celebration program, Unconscious Bias Training, and Patient Care resources.

• Additional Perks:Enjoy an 18% discount on your Verizon data plan and a 20% discount on Gundersen services not covered by insurance

If you are looking to be a part of a stable and mission driven organization, we welcome you to apply!

Emplify Health is comprised of two of the Midwest's most respected healthcare systems, Bellin Health and Gundersen Health System. Once neighbors, we are now partners, united in our mission to provide exceptional care to our communities. As a not-for-profit, patient-centered healthcare network, we have headquarters in Green Bay and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Our extensive network includes 11 hospitals and more than 100 clinics, serving 67 cities and rural communities across Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With over 4,500 dedicated nurses and providers, we are committed to delivering primary, specialty and emergency care, along with innovative medical education programs. Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients and communities.

If you need assistance with any portion of the application or have questions about the position, please contact HR-Recruitment@gundersenhealth.org or call 608-775-0267

We inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning and innovating. This is our purpose. Together with our values - belonging, respect, excellence, accountability, teamwork and humility - our pillars set our foundation and our future.

Equal Opportunity Employer