What does an employee benefits specialist do?
Document clerks are employees who are responsible for tracking and controlling technical documents according to the business standards of an organization. These clerks are required to scan and photocopy business-related documents such as client files, correspondence, and company records. They must work with database systems to maintain digital files while removing and destroying outdated or obsolete files. Document clerks must also verify information in company documents to ensure that the information of clients is correct and resent in all documents.
Employee benefits specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real employee benefits specialist resumes:
- Manage submission process of all documents to the IRS for approval.
- Manage newly trusteed and terminate pension plans to ensure termination complies with ERISA.
- Manage payroll deductions, responsible for monthly insurance premium payments, and coordinate/communicate annual open enrollment.
- Account coordinator for health, dental, fsa, hsa, supplemental coverages.
- Process and maintain FSA, HSA, and HRA contributions, deductions, and reimbursements.
- Create new HIPAA privacy compliance plan.
- Assist in internal and client HRIS conversions.
- Update current HIPPA, FDA approvals and exclusions.
- Maintain HRIS computer files relating to health and welfare plans.
- Comply with ACA requirements by offering insurance to employees and reporting to IRS.
- Adhere to HIPAA policies and verification procedures to ensure no confidential information are released.
- Ensure health and welfare program inquiries, complaints and ERISA appeals are handled in the appropriate time frames.
- Advise HIV/AIDS and chronically/terminally ill patients about rights and filing for temporary or permanent disability base on status and clinical condition.
- Represent community specialty and general practice physicians in the formation of a physician-driven PPO.
Employee benefits specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Employee Benefits Specialists are proficient in RFP, Health Benefits, and Cobra. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Business skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Employee Benefits Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- RFP, 13%
Administered benefits, RFP?s and benefit summaries and other day to day operations for Sales Executives.
- Health Benefits, 10%
Responded to subpoenas (requesting health benefits information), National Medical Support Notices, and employees' insurance verification requests.
- Cobra, 6%
Provide guidance to executive leadership regarding regulations related to benefit administration including FMLA, Cobra, Disability and Workers Compensation.
- Human Resources, 6%
Created benefit communications focusing on developing local human resources representatives benefit program understanding as well as specific employee education materials.
- HIPAA, 5%
Served as the HIPAA privacy officer.
- HRIS, 4%
Maintain and update the Company's organizational structure and associated organizational and employee information in the HRIS.
Common skills that an employee benefits specialist uses to do their job include "rfp," "health benefits," and "cobra." You can find details on the most important employee benefits specialist responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an employee benefits 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." Employee benefits specialists often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "coordinate transfer of data to external contacts for services, premiums and plan administration. "
Business skills. Many employee benefits specialist duties rely on business skills. "specialists must understand basic finance and accounting," so an employee benefits specialist will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways employee benefits specialist responsibilities rely on business skills: "advanced knowledge of the ultimate payroll system including developing business intelligence reports for various business needs. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of employee benefits specialists is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday employee benefits specialist duties, as "specialists need to provide information about compensation and benefits in a way that is understandable to employees at all levels throughout their organization." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "developed all written communications for open enrollment. "
The three companies that hire the most employee benefits specialists are:
- MTM56 employee benefits specialists jobs
- Deloitte10 employee benefits specialists jobs
- HUB International8 employee benefits specialists jobs
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Compare different employee benefits specialists
Employee benefits 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.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an employee benefits specialist are more likely to require skills like "rfp," "health benefits," "cobra," and "human resources." On the other hand, a job as a workers compensation coordinator requires skills like "osha," "patients," "excellent planning," and "rehabilitation." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Workerss compensation coordinator really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $67,433. Comparatively, employee benefits specialists tend to make the most money in the professional industry with an average salary of $49,651.The education levels that workerss compensation coordinator earn slightly differ from employee benefits specialists. In particular, workerss compensation coordinator are 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an employee benefits specialist. Additionally, they're 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Employee benefits specialist vs. Senior compensation analyst
A senior compensation analyst is primarily in charge of developing and maintaining compensation programs for a company's employees. Their responsibilities revolve around performing extensive research and analysis to identify employee needs, understanding the extent of every workforce position, conducting surveys, improving existing programs, and learning the compensation programs of competitors. Furthermore, as a senior compensation analyst, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals and serve as a mentor to junior analysts, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real employee benefits specialist resumes. While employee benefits specialist responsibilities can utilize skills like "rfp," "health benefits," "cobra," and "hipaa," senior compensation analysts use skills like "compensation programs," "flsa," "data analysis," and "salary surveys."
On average, senior compensation analysts earn a higher salary than employee benefits specialists. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, senior compensation analysts earn the most pay in the real estate industry with an average salary of $89,997. Whereas employee benefits specialists have higher pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $49,651.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Senior compensation analysts tend to reach higher levels of education than employee benefits specialists. In fact, they're 13.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Employee benefits specialist vs. Compensation analyst
Compensation analysts are responsible for managing company compensation programs by evaluating and analyzing employees' salaries, assist the planning and development of a new and modified sales compensation plan, as well as managing sales compensation short-term incentive programs. The compensation programs are used to improve hiring and boost employee retention. These analysts are skilled and knowledgeable about managing labor costs, benefits structures, and compensation analysis to determine if the employees are fairly compensated.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from employee benefits specialist resumes include skills like "rfp," "health benefits," "cobra," and "human resources," whereas a compensation analyst is more likely to list skills in "hr," "compensation programs," "data analysis," and "flsa. "
Compensation analysts make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $77,218. On the other hand, employee benefits specialists are paid the highest salary in the professional industry, with average annual pay of $49,651.compensation analysts typically earn higher educational levels compared to employee benefits specialists. Specifically, they're 8.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Employee benefits specialist vs. Benefits & payroll administrator
The Benefits and Payroll Administrator manages the company's payroll, ensuring work benefits and employee documents are secure. The administrator also delivers employees' issues and concerns to the company's proper channels. This position also helps in the audit of the company and ensures compliance with state and federal regulations. This administrative position requires bookkeeping knowledge, a bachelor's degree, and experience in using spreadsheets and accounting software.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between employee benefits specialists and benefits & payroll administrators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an employee benefits specialist might have more use for skills like "rfp," "customer service," "erisa," and "data entry." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of benefits & payroll administrators require skills like "adp payroll," "adp workforce," "pto," and "process payroll. "
The professional industry tends to pay the highest salaries for benefits & payroll administrators, with average annual pay of $55,595. Comparatively, the highest employee benefits specialist annual salary comes from the professional industry.benefits & payroll administrators reach similar levels of education compared to employee benefits specialists, in general. The difference is that they're 1.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of employee benefits specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
