Leave & Benefits Specialist

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# Title:
Leave & Benefits Specialist

# Reports To:
Director of Benefits

Position Summary:

Under the supervision of the Director of Benefits, the candidate will demonstrate detail-oriented and customer-focused skills as the Leave & Benefits Specialist in the Department of Human Resources & Institutional Access. The employee will serve as a primary subject matter expert administering employee leave programs, statutory leave benefits, health and voluntary benefits, and state retirement plans.

This role ensures strict compliance with federal and state regulations, including FMLA and NJFLA—while delivering onboarding benefits orientations and compassionate support to NJIT faculty and staff throughout their employment lifecycle.

Essential Functions:

- FMLA & NJFLA Management: End-to-end administration of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), New Jersey Family Leave Insurance (NJFLI), and NJ Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI).
- Interactive Process: Coordinate medical leaves, and return-to-work protocols in collaboration with employees, supervisors, and payroll.
- Tracking & Documentation: Maintain confidential leave tracking systems, issue required eligibility notices and designations within statutory deadlines, and monitor leave duration limits and intermittent usage.
- Workers' Compensation Liaison: Serve as a point of contact for employee Workers' Compensation claims and restricted duty assignments
- Health, Retirement & Voluntary Benefits: Assist in answering employee questions about health, dental, prescription, vision, New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits (NJDPB) retirement systems, including the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), Alternate Benefit Program (ABP), and supplemental403(b)/457(b) plans, flexible spending accounts (FSA), life insurance, and voluntary benefit plans offered to NJIT staff and faculty.
- Enrollment Changes: Process life events, open enrollment changes, terminations, and retirement applications accurately in state and university HRIS systems.
- Benefits Orientation: Design and conduct comprehensive benefits orientation sessions for all newly hired faculty, administrative staff, and union-represented employees.
- Employee Support: Act as the first point of contact for benefit inquiries, claims assistance, plan details, and retirement counseling with a high standard of customer service.
- Open Enrollment: Assist in organizing, communicating, and executing annual open enrollment periods and health fairs.
- Data Management: Input and reconcile leave and benefit data across NJIT’s HRIS platform (e.g., Workday) and state portal systems (MBOS, EPIC).
- Reconciliations: Perform regular audits of benefit vendor invoices and state retirement reporting to ensure data integrity and accurate payroll deductions.
- Policy Maintenance: Stay current on evolving federal/state benefit legislation and recommend updates to university leaves and benefits practices.

Pre-Requisite Qualifications:

- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
- Experience: 1 to 2 years of dedicated professional experience administering employee benefits and leave programs.
- Leave Expertise: Demonstrated working knowledge of federal FMLA and New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) regulations and administration workflows.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency with HRIS databases (e.g., Workday, Banner) and standard office productivity suites (Microsoft Office, Excel).

Preferred Qualifications

- Prior benefits or HR experience in higher education or a public/unionized organization in New Jersey.
- Hands-on experience with New Jersey state platforms (MBOS, EPIC).

Core Competencies

- Customer Service: Strong interpersonal skills with the empathy required to support employees going through life events or medical leave.
- Communication: Ability to communicate complex policy details clearly, both orally and in writing, to diverse audiences.
- Discretion: Absolute integrity in handling highly sensitive, medical, and confidential employee records in compliance with HIPAA and FERPA.
- Organization: Superior multitasking skills with sharp attention to detail and ability to meet strict statutory deadlines.

Department:

Human Resources & Institutional Access

Compensation:

$55,000 - $60,000

At the university's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be exempted where the candidate can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the university an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.

# Range:
Non-Aligned -12

NJIT considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, or other items. To learn more about the comprehensive benefits NJIT offers for this position, please visit our benefits page: https://hr.njit.edu/health-benefits .

# FLSA:
Exempt

# Time Type:
Full time

# Pay Rate:
Salary

Additional Information:

As an EEO employer NJIT is committed to building a diverse and inclusive teaching, research, and working environment and strongly encourages applications from individuals with disabilities, minorities, veterans, and women.

Employment at NJIT is subject to the provisions of New Jersey First Act which mandates new employees, who are not NJ residents, to establish primary residence in New Jersey within one year of their appointment to certain positions. The law does not apply to any individual employed at NJIT on a temporary or per semester basis as a visiting or adjunct professor, teacher, lecturer, researcher or administrator. For more information on the act please click here.

If special accommodations are needed in applying for a position, please visit the Department of Human Resources located in Fenster Hall, 5th Floor, University Heights, Newark, NJ 07102 or call (973) 596-3140. If you have questions, please email the Human Resources Department at hr@njit.edu.

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NJIT is an E-Verify employer and uses E-Verify to confirm work authorization of each new hire.