Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Pay Range: $20-$22 per hour. Full-Time 35hrs per week.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

The Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist serves as a primary point of contact for employees regarding benefits, payroll, and leave questions. This role provides hands-on administration of leave, benefits, payroll support, and workers' compensation, while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and internal policies. The position requires strong customer service, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Employee Support & Service

  • Serve as the primary contact for employee inquiries related to benefits, payroll, and leave.
  • Manage shared inboxes and ticket queues, triaging and resolving requests promptly.
  • Support the HR hotline and emergency extension as needed.
  • Send new hire welcome emails and onboarding communications.
  • Host or co-host benefits, wellness, and employee engagement fairs.
  • Coordinate leave explanation meetings with employees and supervisors.

Leave Administration Processing

  • Process FMLA, DBL, PFL, Military Leave, NYS Prenatal Leave, and Workers’ Compensation claims.
  • Send eligibility notifications and approve intermittent leave requests in E3.
  • Review intermittent leave claims for discrepancies and track PTO usage or benefit arrears.
  • Maintain leave-of-absence (LOA) spreadsheets and update return-to-work dates.
  • Submit LOA trackers to Payroll and IT and follow up on required documentation.
  • Update monthly leave-of-status reports for leadership and payroll.

Workers’ Compensation Processing

  • Process and monitor work-related injury claims.
  • Complete incident reports (first aid, record-only, and WC claims).
  • Provide documentation to carriers and maintain claim records.
  • Report on active and historical Workers’ Compensation claims.

Benefits Administration

  • Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, and terminations.
  • Update employee elections in carrier portals (e.g., Principal).
  • Manage open enrollment elections and tuition reimbursement requests.
  • Conduct basic eligibility and deduction audits and support carrier documentation requests.

Payroll Support

  • Review timecards for completeness and accuracy.
  • Process salary deferral and deduction changes.
  • Provide supporting data for payroll processing and audits.

Other

  • Travel within Western New York as needed to attend meetings, give presentations, participate in benefit enrollment fairs, or support department-specific events.
  • Completes all trainings required by the agency.
  • Performs all other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • High School Diploma or GED required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field preferred.
  • 2+ years of experience in HR, payroll, benefits, or leave administration.
  • Hands-on experience processing payroll, benefits, and leave requests.
  • Proficiency with HRIS/payroll systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Knowledge of payroll, benefits, leave administration, and workers’ compensation processes.
  • Familiarity with HRIS/payroll systems (E3/DATIS preferred) and carrier portals.
  • Strong customer service, communication, and organizational skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and attention to detail.
  • Knowledge of federal and state leave laws (FMLA, NYS PFL/DBL, Military Leave) and compliance requirements.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information (PHI/PII).

Some things you can look forward to:

  • Welcoming, team environment, that inspires you to thrive and be your BestSelf!
  • Rewarding work experience!
  • Generous paid time off
  • Flexible schedule
  • Multiple and diverse health insurance options
  • Many other unique lifestyle & personal insurance options
  • Career growth and advancement opportunities
  • We look forward to telling you more!