HR Benefits & Leave Specialist

Vybond Group, Inc. is a global leader in the manufacture of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, delivering innovative solutions to customers across a wide range of industrial and specialty markets. Headquartered in Franklin, Kentucky, with manufacturing operations in Franklin, KY and Bristol, Rhode Island, Vybond produces specialty foil, film, duct tapes, and adhesive products designed to meet the evolving needs of its customers. With more than 1,500 SKUs across over 500 product families, Vybond serves more than 1,500 customers in the HVAC, building and construction, industrial, retail, medical, aerospace, automotive, and other specialty industries. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and customer partnership has established Vybond as a trusted supplier of high-performance adhesive solutions worldwide.

Job Summary:

The Benefits & Leave Specialist is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Company's employee benefits and leave of absence programs. Reporting to the Payroll & Benefits Manager, this position serves as the primary operational resource for benefits administration, vendor coordination, leave management support, compliance activities, and employee wellness initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Benefits Administration

• Administer all employee health and welfare benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), voluntary benefits, and other employer-sponsored plans. 
• Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, status changes, and terminations within established service levels.
• Support annual Open Enrollment planning, testing, employee communications, system configuration, and post-enrollment audits.
• Configure, maintain, and audit benefit plans within Paycom to ensure accurate eligibility, deductions, carrier feeds, and employee records.  Coordinate with insurance carriers, brokers or third-party administrators to resolve issues. Assist with implementation of new benefit programs, vendor transitions, and system enhancements.
• Resolve employee benefit questions and complex benefit issues through direct interaction with employees and benefit vendors.

Vendor & Invoice Administration

• Review, reconcile, and process all benefit-related invoices for timely payment for all benefits.  Research and resolve invoice discrepancies with carriers and vendors. Coordinate with Finance regarding invoice approvals, coding, and payment processing.
• Validate carrier billing against employee enrollment records.
• Monitor arrears balances and partner with Payroll to collect outstanding employee benefit premiums.

COBRA Administration

• Administer COBRA processes in accordance with federal regulations.
• Receive, track, reconcile, and process COBRA premium payments.
• Ensure timely termination and reinstatement of coverage based on payment activity.
• Maintain compliant documentation for all COBRA activities.

Leave Administration

• Serve as the internal HR liaison for all leave administration activities.
• Partner with the Company's third-party leave administrator regarding:
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • Medical leaves
  • Personal leaves
  • Military leave
  • Other statutory leave programs
• Review leave reports for accuracy and ensure appropriate coding within HRIS.
• Monitor leave status, return-to-work dates, and benefit continuation requirements.
• Coordinate benefit premium collection during unpaid leave periods.
• Partner with HR Business Partners and managers regarding leave administration questions.
• Maintain confidential leave documentation in accordance with legal requirements.

Employee Programs

Coordinate and administer Company-sponsored employee engagement initiatives, including:

• Wellness Program / Wellness Challenges
• Employee Recognition Programs / Service Awards
• Employee Appreciation Events
• Benefits Education Campaigns
• Incentive Programs

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state benefit regulations.
• Evaluate and process domestic partner eligibility applications in accordance with Company policy.
• Maintain accurate employee benefit records and supporting documentation.
• Perform recurring audits to identify discrepancies between HRIS, payroll, and carrier systems.
• Assist with benefit-related compliance reporting and documentation.
• Support annual benefit plan audits and data requests.

Other Responsibilities:

• Perform additional responsibilities as needed.

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3-5+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 2 years focused on benefits and leave administration.
• Experience working with HRIS/payroll systems (Paycom preferred).
• Experience reconciling invoices and managing vendor relationships.
• Experience supporting open enrollment and employee benefit communications.
• Manufacturing experience preferred.
• Deep knowledge of benefits laws and compliance (e.g., FMLA, ACA, ERISA, COBRA).
• Proficiency in HRIS systems (Paycom preferred) and MS Office Suite with emphasis on strong Excel skills to include V-Lookup and Pivot Tables.
• Strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.