Benefits/Employee Relations Consultant

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in human resources management or a directly related field from an accredited institution as approved and accepted by the University of South Alabama and one year of related professional human resources experience.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. Preferred Qualifications Benefits Administration and / or Employee Relations experience is highly preferred.

Job Description Summary The University of South Alabama’s Department of Human Resources is seeking to hire two Benefits / Employee Relations Consultants.

Interested candidates should apply to be considered. Essential Functions These are the job duties required of the position. Essential Functions

• Interprets policies and benefits to employees, supervisors and department heads.
• Addresses internal and external inquiries by email, telephone or in person regarding employee benefits; monitors, distributes and / or responds to all emails received via the generic departmental email.
• Conducts New Employee Orientation, one-on-one faculty and administrative benefits orientation with benefits eligible employees ensuring prompt enrollment in benefits, counseling employees and processing applications and accompanying paperwork for benefit coverage purposes.
• In consultation with the Assistant Manager, Benefits, supports annual new faculty employee benefits orientation and online enrollment, including the development of the CANVAS course.
• Supports the administration of the online benefit enrollment system Employee Navigator.
• Assists with the coordination of the annual Employee Benefits & Wellness Expo to include, but not limited to, contacting vendors and sponsors, arranging venue, location set up, publicizing the event for all locations, scheduling virtual sessions, etc.
• Provides employees assistance / explanations regarding life and disability insurance.
• Assists employees in filing for voluntary life insurance, including tracking approved EOIs to ensure accurate payroll deduction is applied;

assists employees with death claims to include processing and submission of claim documentation, and follows up with employee and insurance carrier, as applicable.

• Prepares notices / communication to employees regarding employment status changes like FTE and department and / or classification transfers related to employee benefits changes.
• Provides backup for processing FML which includes providing information to faculty, staff, and administrative employees, reviewing personnel action forms and determining FML eligibility, maintaining FML information in the payroll system using Banner, sending correspondence to employees regarding FML, and reviewing monthly reports from payroll and sending appropriate correspondence to employees regarding certifications and unpaid employee benefit premiums.
• Provides backup support for processing system-wide benefit summaries for insurance enrollments, and life-event changes in compliance with plan requirements.
• Addresses internal and external inquiries concerning the USA Health & Dental Plan and USA Select Health & Dental Plan, Prime Therapeutics, and Health Equity.
• Provides backup to assist employees concerning Teachers’ Retirement System transactions such as filing for retirement, vesting, purchase of military and / or out-of-state service and sick leave conversion for service credit, and disability retirements.
• Serves as backup for conducting employee benefits and FMLA presentations for Supervisory Overview Workshops.
• Serves as a liaison between Human Resources and Payroll to provide required paperwork for employee benefits and changes in benefits as necessary.
• Stays abreast of changes related to benefits in Healthcare Reform, PEEHIP, TRS, Medicare and Social Security Legislation.
• Travels to various campuses to conduct NEO, attend meetings, and participate in various benefit functions as required.
• Assists and provides administrative support in conducting EEO investigations, as directed by supervisor; collects information through interviews, data collection, analysis, and review of records.
• Counsels investigation complainants and participants in proper procedures and requirements; records and transcribes interviews;
• prepares reports; keeps supervisor abreast of findings through frequent updates; retains and organizes all pertinent records;
• ensures thorough and timely completion of investigations, as assigned; recommends actions to supervisor; stays abreast of relevant state and federal laws;

and ensures confidentiality of information, based on business need to know; and prepares annual EEO related reports.

Assists and provides administrative support in conducting investigations related to EthicsPoint (Hotline), as assigned.

Updates the electronic system records as needed, and maintains communication with investigators for timely entry of updates.

Closes electronic records, as directed by Supervisor.

• In consultation with the Sr. Manager Employee Benefits, EEO & Employee Relations, prepares routine employee relations related correspondence such as : termination letters, written warnings and suspension letters.
• In consultation with the Sr. Manager Employee Benefits, EEO & Employee Relations, provides interpretation of employee relations related policies and procedures to employees, supervisors and department heads.
• Assists in managing the University’s performance evaluation program for staff and administrators, including working with supervisors to understand the process and supporting supervisors with compliance;

tracks form submissions, and enters record in Banner.

Tracks probationary periods for new employees and is responsible for following up with supervisors prior to the probationary period end date (6-month and 3-month probationary periods);

tracks form submissions, as applicable, and enters record in Banner.

• In consultation with the Sr. Manager Employee Benefits, EEO & ER, provides follow up with supervisors on employees with performance deficiencies.
• Administers unemployment insurance processes; represents the University in unemployment hearings.
• Manages the exit interview (questionnaire) program for non-academic staff and administrators.
• Processes Employee Separation requests submitted via DocRoute.
• In consultation with the Sr. Manager Employee Benefits, EEO & Employee Relations, collects data and prepares reports; to include but not limited to the annual Racial Analysis of New Hires.
• Prepares and maintains Employee Relations Records.
• Coordinates, plans and executes all aspects of the Employee of the Quarter Program.
• In consultation with the Sr. Manager Employee Benefits, EEO & Employee Relations, provides administrative support for all aspects of the Grievance and Appeal Process.
• Coordinates all aspects of the HR required online courses, assigns courses for completion to new employees and tracks compliance.

Assists in the management and coordination of the biennial University-wide HR required courses completion project.

• Meets with employees individually or in groups to address employee relations procedures questions, to include in person and virtual meetings, and traveling to various offices.
• Conducts Employee Relations and EEO training.
• Researches and assists in the development and writing of human resources policies and procedures including, but not limited to, preparing content for handbooks, memos, and the HR website.
• Serves on various committees as assigned.
• Maintains and respects the confidentiality of information of University employees, dependents, financial information and other sensitive information;

and to abide by the regulations regarding privacy and security of health information as mandated by HIPAA.

• Conducts special projects and surveys as assigned.
• Prepares reports utilizing Banner and Excel.
• Regular and prompt attendance.
• Ability to work schedule as assigned and additional hours as required.
• Related duties as required.

Posting Information

Benefits

Paid Time Off (PTO) Health Insurance Short Term Disability Life Insurance Education Benefit Retirement Plan Memberships and Events Student Loan Forgiveness Paid Time Off (PTO) Employees earn paid time off (PTO) as they work.

PTO can be used for vacation, holidays, sick days and personal days. Each year, employees can choose to cash out up to 80 hours of available PTO the following calendar year.

Health Insurance New employees health, dental, and pharmacy benefits are effective the first day of the month following hire date.

Short Term Disability This free benefit provides income support for those who are out of work for a medical reason, such as illness, accident or maternity.

After a seven-day waiting period, it provides a 60-percent wage replacement, up to $1,000 per week for 90 days. Life Insurance USA Health provides a free term life insurance policy for our employees based on annual salary.

Policies for spouse and dependents are also included. Additional coverage can be purchased for employee, spouse and dependents.

Education Benefit University of South Alabama offers a credit on tuition each semester for employees, spouse, and dependents after just six months of employment.

Retirement Plan USA Health offers a 5% matching retirement account and other non-matching account choices. Included with this benefit is a free individual session with a financial planner.

Memberships and Events Employees can join USA’s state-of-the-art recreation center for a nominal fee. USA football season tickets are available at a discount, and employees can attend all other USA sporting events for free.

Student Loan Forgiveness As an employee of a government or not-for-profit organization, you may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program through the U.S. Department of Education.