What does a Benefit Specialist do?
A benefits specialist is responsible for analyzing and processing the compensation package of an organization, ensuring that the salary and benefits received by an employee adhere to the current legislation procedures. Benefits specialists develop benefits programs, adjusting pension plans and insurance options as needed, and updating the employees on recent updates and changes. A benefits specialist responds to employees' inquiries, addresses their concerns, and manages benefits issues. A benefits specialist must have a clear understanding of benefits policies and processes to educate employees about the benefits structure.
Benefit specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real benefit specialist resumes:
- Manage various employee program such as life, medical, dental pension, and HSA accounts.
- Examine HMO documents to verify eligibility to process or reject into or from a manage care plan when necessary.
- Input daily time and PTO, manage benefits, report new hires, input sales, oversee accounts receivable.
- Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.
- Implement new vendor for FSA administration and manage outstanding issues through continuous follow-up and vendor accountability.
- Analyze, process and manage FMLA claims to determine eligibility and certification in compliance with state and federal regulations.
- Coordinate preparation of all require reporting and disclosure filings with the IRS, DOL and PBGC.
- Perform benefits investigations for Medicare and Medicaid patients to determine patient's eligibility to receive oncology medications.
- Coordinate annual open enrollment firm-wide: processing enrollments/changes/terminations in the benefit plans and maintain up-to-date information in the HRIS system.
- Review, reconcile and balance payroll and benefit data for weekly payrolls and assist in coordinating annual open enrollment process.
- Provide training for all employees on OSHA BBP standards.
- Maintain all employee health records, in compliance with OSHA.
- Calculate, track and process weekly employer HSA company match and employee account funding.
- Process a weekly high turnover of terminations; final checks, separation and cobra paperwork.
- Monitor denied claims to identify ICD-9 and CPT coding mistakes and omissions that generate the rejection.
Benefit specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Benefit Specialists are proficient in Customer Service, HR, and Patients. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Business skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Benefit Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 13%
Finance Invoice/Billing Reconciliation Customer Service Receptionist
- HR, 8%
Managed administrative functions within department to include assisting HR Manager with recruitment, hiring, and completion of new-hire administration processes.
- Patients, 5%
Advised HIV/AIDS and chronically/terminally ill patients about rights and filing for temporary or permanent disability based on status and clinical condition.
- HRIS, 5%
Conducted periodic HRIS systems' audits to verify data integrity; identified and resolved discrepancies, initiated and implemented corrective action.
- Life Insurance, 5%
Manage the tuition reimbursement program, short/long term disability, maternity leave and employee benefit elections including voluntary life insurance.
- Cobra, 5%
Distributed Cobra continuation of coverage information to employees experiencing termination and assisted retired employees with benefit coverage options including Medicare.
"customer service," "hr," and "patients" are among the most common skills that benefit specialists use at work. You can find even more benefit specialist responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a benefit specialist to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists perform data and cost analyses to evaluate their organization’s policies." Benefit specialists often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "conducted analysis on payroll reports ensuring accurate payroll, benefits, and fsa deductions; approved credit adjustments and additional deductions. "
Business skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling benefit specialist duties is business skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "specialists must understand basic finance and accounting." According to a benefit specialist resume, here's how benefit specialists can utilize business skills in their job responsibilities: "worked closely with payroll using probusiness payroll system. "
Communication skills. This is an important skill for benefit specialists to perform their duties. For an example of how benefit specialist responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "specialists need to provide information about compensation and benefits in a way that is understandable to employees at all levels throughout their organization." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a benefit specialist: "prepared both verbal and written communication informing employees or health, dental, and insurance benefits. ".
The three companies that hire the most benefit specialists are:
- Concentrix48 benefit specialists jobs
- Paychex45 benefit specialists jobs
- Cano Health38 benefit specialists jobs
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Compare different benefit specialists
Benefit specialist vs. Human resources coordinator
A human resources coordinator is responsible for cooperating with the company's human resources department, supporting its processes and procedures, and assisting with employees' concerns. Human resources coordinators' duties include maintaining business files and employees' records, processing documents and submitting required reports, administering background checks for the recruitment process, reviewing and referring to company's handbook for corrective action and performance review, scheduling meetings and facilitating events, and advising effective strategies to human resources management. A human resources coordinator requires excellent communication and employee-relation skills to support the company's daily operations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, benefit specialist responsibilities require skills like "hr," "patients," "long-term disability," and "payroll deductions." Meanwhile a typical human resources coordinator has skills in areas such as "background checks," "process payroll," "i-9," and "eeo." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Human resources coordinators tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $49,546. In contrast, benefit specialists make the biggest average salary, $54,117, in the finance industry.The education levels that human resources coordinators earn slightly differ from benefit specialists. In particular, human resources coordinators are 2.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a benefit specialist. Additionally, they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Benefit specialist vs. Workers compensation coordinator
Workers compensation coordinators work with supervisors to identify incident causes and the best corrective actions. They train coordinators and supervisors on reporting and managing workers' compensation claims. Besides coordinating EHS committee meetings and managing EHS files, workers' compensation coordinators also manage workers' programs for hearing tests, safety glasses, and safety shoes. These professionals use the company credit card or purchasing system to order safety supplies. Also, they ensure workers get the needed care by partnering with medical providers and injured employees.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real benefit specialist resumes. While benefit specialist responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "hris," "life insurance," and "cobra," workerss compensation coordinator use skills like "osha," "excellent planning," "rehabilitation," and "insurance adjusters."
Workerss compensation coordinator may earn a higher salary than benefit specialists, but workerss compensation coordinator earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $67,433. On the other hand, benefit specialists receive higher pay in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $54,117.workerss compensation coordinator earn similar levels of education than benefit specialists in general. They're 1.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Benefit specialist vs. Human resources analyst
A human resources (HR) analyst is an individual who collaborates with a company's HR staff members to identify and assist in solving HR-related issues. HR analysts must provide advice and support to numerous departments in the organization regarding HR policies and best practices. They assist the HR team in the moderation of operating policies, guidelines, and systems to encourage best practices in the company. HR analysts also review data of employees and job candidates while inputting them into the HR database.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a benefit specialist is likely to be skilled in "hr," "patients," "long-term disability," and "hipaa," while a typical human resources analyst is skilled in "data analysis," "data integrity," "process improvement," and "performance management."
Human resources analysts earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $80,923. Benefit specialists earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $54,117.When it comes to education, human resources analysts tend to earn higher degree levels compared to benefit specialists. In fact, they're 9.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Benefit specialist vs. Human resources associate
A human resources associate is responsible for supporting the human resources department's operations, updating employees' records within the organization's database, and managing the employees' inquiries and concerns by referencing the human resources policies. Human resources associates assist with staffing and recruitment processes, maintaining a timely job board, and filtering potential candidates' requirements and qualifications. They also respond to payments and benefits concerns and recommend employees' training and programs to maximize their potential, credibility, and productivity for daily operations and project management.
Types of benefit specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
