CLASS TITLE: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SPECIALIST

CLASS DEFINITION:

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: To assist in the administration and maintenance of a variety of employee benefit programs as provided for in state and federal law and to do related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Works under the general supervision of a superior with some latitude for use of independent judgment; work is reviewed for conformance to laws, policies, and procedures.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: May supervise clerical and other support staff assigned to assist.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED:

To assist in the administration and maintenance of a variety of employee benefit programs as provided for in state and federal law, including medical, dental, vision, group life, prepaid legal, short-term disability, cancer care, dependent day care, flexible benefits, deferred compensation, COBRA and other programs.

To act as a direct contact with insurers, vendors, agency HR departments, employees and retirees for service issues, problem resolution and technical support.

To ensure compliance with federal tax laws and state regulations that impact employee benefit programs.

To attend conferences and meetings with or on behalf of superior with other senior state
| officials and outside

consultants/vendors and prepare reports/analyses thereon as required.

To prepare correspondence including letters, rate charts and forms for the Office of Employee Benefits including

COBRA, deferred compensation, life and health benefits rate schedules (active and retiree) for distribution to state agencies.

To gather and prepare information required for use as a basis for important financial and insurance program decisions.

To interact with the Controller’s Office in the preparation, reconciliation and payment of benefit plan premiums using

the RI-SAIL computer system and to supply data as needed for accounting audits.

To assist a high level state official by performing moderately complex administrative and supportive tasks involved

with the implementation and administration of employee benefit projects and programs that affect all departments

and agencies of state government.

To assist in the evaluation of existing policies, procedures and programs as to their effectiveness and to provide

suggestions for improvement.

To assist the administrator of the State’s various deferred compensation plans, including the review and approval for

all regular and financial hardship plan distributions, to assure compliance with prevailing federal tax laws.

To prepare reports and correspondence on the various employee benefit programs using various software applications

such as Excel and Microsoft Word.

To coordinate open enrollment benefit fairs with the various agencies and benefit plan providers.

To assist/instruct agency personnel/payroll officers in support of the proper administration of numerous benefit

programs and to ensure correct deductions from employee wages.

To do related work as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT:

KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND CAPACITIES: A working knowledge of and the ability to interpret the laws, rules, and regulations governing the administration and maintenance of employee benefit programs, including but now limited to, deferred compensation, group life insurance and health insurance plans, and the ability to apply the principles, practices and techniques of administering and maintaining said programs; a working knowledge of federal tax laws and state regulations that impact employee benefit programs; the ability to develop and implement methods and procedures necessary for the effective administration of employee benefit programs; the ability to meet and work effectively with employees, public officials, insurance representatives, union officials and others concerned with employee benefit programs; the ability to prepare concise correspondence, as well as gather, compile and prepare data for required reports; and related capacities and abilities.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: Such as may have been gained through: completion of at last two years of academic study in an accredited institution of higher education; and

Experience: Such as may have been gained through: considerable employment in a position involved in assisting a superior by performing, at a minimum, moderately complex administrative and support tasks involving the implementation and administration of an employee benefits program or 3-5 years experience as an employee benefits administrator.

Or, any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education and experience.

Class Revised: February 20, 2005