Benefits & Leave Specialist

The Benefits & Leave Specialist plays a critical role in delivering a seamless, compliant, and employee-centered benefits and leave experience across Belle Tire. This role serves as a subject matter expert in benefits administration and leave management, ensuring accuracy, regulatory compliance, and clear, consistent communication. This role partners closely with employees, managers, payroll, HR, and external vendors to manage benefit programs and leave cases from start to resolution. The specialist also identifies opportunities to improve processes, enhance reporting, and simplify the employee experience.

What You'll Do

Benefits Administration

• Process all benefits transactions accurately and on time -- new hire enrollments, life events, and open enrollment elections.
• Track enrollments, acknowledgments, and required documentation, following up as needed.
• Maintain HR system data integrity and audit readiness.

Leave of Absence Management

• Manage all leaves end-to-end -- FMLA, ADA, Worker's Compensation, and short- and long-term disability.
• Serve as the primary contact for employees, managers, and HR partners throughout each leave.
• Maintain accurate leave records and communicate status, expectations, and next steps.
• Calculate, track, and communicate employee benefit payments during leave.

Employee Experience & Support

• Provide clear, timely, empathetic guidance, and translating complex policies into plain language.
• Manage the shared benefits inbox with a focus on responsiveness and resolution.
• Proactively notify employees of key deadlines and required actions.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure all benefits and leave activities comply with applicable federal, state, and company requirements, including FMLA, HIPAA, USERRA, OSHA, and benefit plan rules.
• Maintain accurate benefits, enrollment, and leave-tracking reports, and support OSHA recordkeeping.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and employee experience.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partners with Payroll on deductions and pay impacts, managers on leave coordination, the HR team on compliance and employee-relations alignment, and vendors on claims and administration issues.

What We're Looking For

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma/GED
• 3-5 years of experience in HR with 1-3 years of experience in benefit administration
• Experience working in an HRIS system, preferably UKG
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
• Ability to manage sensitive situations with professionalism and empathy
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Strong problem solving and decision-making skills
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, multi-state, multi-location environment
• Leverages approved AI-enabled solutions to enhance communication, reporting, and process optimization

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources or related field
• HIPPA certification
• Experience working in a multi-state / multi-location retail-based company
• Experience of working with a company of 3,000+ employees

Work Environment

The position is based in an office environment, requiring periods of sitting and the operation of standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and other office tools. Work hours are typically 8-5, Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and weekend hours as needed.

Benefits

We offer premium benefits to keep your life moving.

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Life/AD&D Insurance
• Short/Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(K) with company match
• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Closed Sundays and Holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day)
• Discounts on Products and Services
• Employee Referral Program
• Paid Training and Reimbursement for ASE Certifications
• Belle Tire Scholarship Program
• Career Growth Opportunities with a Growing Company
• Learn more at https://www.belletirecareers.com/benefits/

About Us

At Belle Tire, we believe you deserve a better experience when it comes to tires and vehicle services. That starts with hiring people who genuinely care - that's the Belle Tire Difference. With over 180 locations and 3,000 dedicated employees across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, we are your one-stop shop for tires, wheels, and full-service automotive repairs. Our services include alignments, brakes, batteries, heating and cooling, oil changes, auto glass repair, and more.

Since 1922, we've done what it takes to keep life moving for our customers and employees. We live by a shared set of values: Customer Satisfaction is the Bottom Line, we always Do the Right Thing, we Set the Tone with a positive attitude, we believe We Are They - there is no "us" and "them" here, and we Walk the Walk by following through on our commitments. These beliefs shape a culture of trust, respect, and pride, making Belle Tire a great place to build your career.

We're not your ordinary tire shop, we're Changing Tires.

Belle Tire is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We ensure all individuals are considered for employment and advancement based on their qualifications, skills, achievements, and experience, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.