HR Specialist, Benefits, Leave & Compliance Training

benefits, leave programs, and required compliance training. Reporting to the Associate Director of Human Resources, this position serves as the primary HR contact for benefit enrollment, benefit-related life events, leave administration, disability coordination, retirement and voluntary benefit processes, and compliance training tracking. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate benefits data, timely employee communication, proper documentation, vendor coordination, benefit invoice reconciliation, and alignment between HR systems, vendor systems, and Payroll. The Specialist partners closely with Payroll, the Manager of HR Operations & Employee Experience, and the HR Specialist, Employee Lifecycle & Experience to support accurate records and a consistent employee experience. This position also participates in new employee orientation by leading the benefits, leave, retirement, voluntary benefits, and compliance training portions of orientation. Rate: $22.25-$23.54, 35 hrs/week Essential Functions: Benefits Administration Administer employee benefit programs, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, wellness, and voluntary benefit plans. Serve as the primary HR contact for employee benefit questions, plan information, eligibility, enrollment, and benefit-related processes. Process benefit enrollments, changes, terminations, and benefit-related life events in PlanSource, NYBEAS, Banner, and/or other applicable systems. Ensure benefit elections and changes are processed accurately and timely in accordance with plan documents, University procedures, and applicable regulations. Coordinate benefit-related life event documentation, including marriage, birth, adoption, divorce, loss of coverage, and other qualifying events. Support annual open enrollment, benefits renewal activities, employee communications, and vendor coordination under the direction of the Associate Director of Human Resources. Provide employee education regarding benefit options, enrollment deadlines, retirement readiness, wellness resources, and voluntary benefit programs. Maintain accurate benefit records and documentation in accordance with confidentiality expectations and record retention requirements. Leave Administration Administer employee leave programs, including FMLA, New York Paid Family Leave, disability, ADA-related leave coordination, workers’ compensation coordination, and other applicable leave programs. Serve as the primary HR contact for employees and supervisors regarding leave process questions, required documentation, timelines, and return-to-work coordination. Prepare, issue, receive, and track leave-related documentation in accordance with applicable federal, state, and University requirements. Maintain confidential leave records and ensure documentation is complete, accurate, and appropriately retained. Coordinate with Payroll to support proper leave coding, paid time application, disability payments, benefit deductions, and related payroll impacts. Track approved leaves and communicate necessary operational information to supervisors while maintaining employee confidentiality. Partner with and escalate complex leave, disability, ADA-related, return-to-work, or compliance-sensitive matters to the Associate Director of Human Resources for review and direction. Monitor leave timelines and follow up with employees, supervisors, and applicable vendors as needed. Compliance Training Coordinate and track required employee compliance training, including Title IX, harassment prevention, safety, mandated institutional training, and other required programs under support of CHRO. Maintain the University’s training management system and ensure accurate assignment, tracking, reporting, and completion records. Provide support to employees and supervisors regarding training access, completion requirements, deadlines, and reporting. Partner with the HR Specialist, Employee Lifecycle & Experience to ensure required compliance training is incorporated into the new hire onboarding process. Prepare compliance training reports for HR leadership and other University stakeholders as needed. Monitor training completion trends and identify gaps, follow-up needs, or process improvements. Maintain awareness of regulatory or institutional changes that may impact required employee training, benefits, leave programs, or related compliance requirements. Partner with the Associate Director of Human Resources to support benefits, leave, training, and employment compliance reporting, audits, and documentation assigned. Benefits Communication, Orientation, and Employee Education Lead the benefits, leave, retirement, voluntary benefits, and compliance training portions of new employee orientation. Partner with the HR Specialist, Employee Lifecycle & Experience to support a clear, welcoming, and organized new employee orientation experience. Develop and distribute employee communications related to benefits, leave programs, open enrollment, wellness resources, retirement, voluntary benefits, and required training. Maintain accurate and accessible employee resources related to benefits, leaves, retirement, voluntary benefits, and compliance training on HR platforms and the University intranet. Provide timely reminders to employees regarding benefit deadlines, open enrollment, required documentation, leave paperwork, and training completion. Support wellness-related benefit communication and vendor-sponsored wellness initiatives in coordination with HR leadership and benefit vendors. Ensure benefit, leave, and compliance training communications are clear, accurate, employee-centered, and consistent with University procedures. Systems, Data Integrity, Reconciliation, and Vendor Coordination Maintain accurate employee benefits, leave, and training data in Banner, PlanSource, NYBEAS, vendor portals, training systems, and other applicable HR systems. Review employee status changes entered through the employee lifecycle process to determine benefit eligibility impacts. Coordinate with the HR Specialist, Employee Lifecycle & Experience when employment status changes impact benefit eligibility, leave status, payroll deductions, or required training assignments. Reconcile benefit deductions, vendor invoices, and enrollment records to ensure accuracy across HRIS, Payroll, and vendor systems. Process benefit invoices for payment after reconciliation and resolve discrepancies with vendors, Payroll, Finance, or HR leadership as appropriate. Assist with required benefits reporting, including ACA, 1095-C, ERISA-related reporting, retirement plan reporting, and other compliance-related reporting as assigned. Identify and recommend process improvements to strengthen benefits administration, leave tracking, training compliance, reconciliation, and employee communication. Maintain benefits, leave, disability, ADA-related, workers’ compensation, medical, and compliance training records separately from general personnel files, in accordance with confidentiality requirements and applicable record retention standards. Maintain strict confidentiality of benefits, leave, medical, disability, and employee training records, and ensure information is shared only with individuals who have a legitimate business need to know. Institutional Citizenship Demonstrates professionalism, discretion, and respect in all interactions. Supports the University’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through culturally competent and respectful interactions. Contributes to a collaborative culture of mentoring, engagement, and service that supports the success of faculty, staff, and students. Maintains a safe and compliant working environment and participates in required training, including safety protocols. Participates in required and elective professional development, University committees, and initiatives. Maintains a safe working environment within and around their facilities and associated equipment and supplies including, but not limited to, obtaining Safety Data Sheet (SDS) information pertaining to any hazards associated with their work environment. Performs other related duties as assigned to support departmental and institutional goals. Qualitfications-Education & Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Minimum of an Associate’s degree required, Bachelor’s degree preferred. At least 2 years of experience in Higher education with an emphasis on benefits administration, compliance training, or HR operations is strongly preferred. Strong understanding of benefits law, regulatory requirements, and leave management. Experience in higher education or public sector HR preferred. Excellent communication and customer service skills with the ability to explain complex information clearly. Proficiency in HRIS and benefits administration systems; experience with PlanSource, NYBEAS, or Banner preferred. Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality. Effective written and oral communication skills. Ability to work collaboratively and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Physical Demands & Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Personal Protective Equipment must be worn when required. A respiratory function test and the ability to use respirators may be required. Stairs and uneven surfaces may be present; artificial lifts, etc., may or may not be available. The position may require the incumbent to walk outdoors in all types of weather to other buildings or offices located on the campus. The Campus is in an area that contains numerous hills and slopes and may not always be fully accessible for mobility-impaired individuals. About Alfred University: Lighting the way for students since 1836. “We've always been a place for makers, especially those who make the future. Our commitment to independent thinking, creativity, academic rigor, and community have made us a unique kind of leader since 1836.” Alfred University (AU) was founded on principles of social justice in 1836 by liberal, independent thinkers who placed high value on education for all citizens. The University has retained and built upon the strong values of its founders, developing as an institution of national and international renown that is responsive to the needs of contemporary society while remaining consistent with the spirit of its origins. Alfred University is the second oldest coeducational college in the United States as well as one of the earliest nineteenth-century colleges to have enrolled African American and Native American students. It has a long-standing history of educating socially conscious students who make a difference in their professions and their communities. Over the course of the twentieth century, Alfred University evolved into a complex institution offering a full range of programs in the liberal arts and sciences, art and design, engineering, business, education, counseling, and school psychology to its nearly 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students that live, learn, and play on a 232-acre campus located in an idyllic, creative valley in Western New York. Alfred University actively subscribes to a policy of equal employment opportunity, and will not discriminate against any employee, student or applicant because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, gender identification or expression, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, marital status, genetic information, military or veteran status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction status, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.