This is technical work coordinating and supervising the various municipal employees' medical and benefits programs. Work includes acting as the service and information director of the City's life, medical, health and unemployment compensation programs and supervising the placement and related records keeping segment of the service-connected disability program. Of major significance to the work is the explanation of the benefits and regulations to City and departmental officials, employees, representatives of employee organizations and insurance carriers.

Work is performed under the direction of an administrative supervisor. Assignments require analytical thinking and are performed in accordance with functional precedents, practices and policies. An employee in this class provides advisory and consultative services to city officials regarding employee benefit programs.

• Researches, plans, and develops specifications for new benefits programs and recommends revisions to existing programs; negotiates with insurance carriers to obtain best employee coverage and cost to city; confers and presents proposed new and revised benefits to city officials; participates in their review and selection; prepares specifications for new benefits program; reviews bid prices and recommends to city officials acceptance or disapproval.
• Directs secondary job placement program for permanently and partially disabled municipal employees; explains benefits and options to such employees; evaluates work skills and limitations of disabled employees and refers them to departments for placement; advises such employees with problems in secondary job and confers with departmental personnel officers to resolve problems.
• Directs unemployment compensation program through subordinate employee; ensures compliance with state regulations; reviews office operating procedures to expedite processing of claims; confers with city officials and state employment security representatives.
• Confers with employees, departmental officials, insurance carriers and representatives of employee organizations to resolve complex problems relating to insurance coverage or claims and disability cases; informs and elicits information from departmental officials and employee organizations regarding the benefits program and individual cases; maintains liaison with city officials, representatives of employee organizations, municipal agencies, other jurisdictions and insurance carriers for planning purposes; keeps abreast of the current developments in the benefits field, and to provide information about the city's service and benefits programs.
• Reviews benefits administration procedures to insure prompt, accurate processing of claims; maintains liaison with data processing personnel to assure accurate reporting and reporting of necessary information; takes appropriate measures to insure that employees are provided with current and accurate information with respect to employee benefits; arranges and conducts individual and group counseling sessions to explain benefits to effective employees.
• Assigns and reviews the work of a small group of employees engaged in processing claims, maintaining necessary records and informing employees of specific benefits, regulations and other provisions.
• Writes periodic and special reports.
• Performs related work as required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• the principles and practices of municipal personnel administration.
• the practices and procedures used in the supervision and administration of an employee benefit program.
• the current developments in the personnel field as related to employee benefits.
• the methods and techniques of employee interviewing and counseling.

• plan, assign and review the work of a small number of personnel.
• learn and implement the specific provisions of the municipal insurance program contracts.
• learn and administer the specific provisions of the state unemployment compensation program.
• express oneself effectively, both orally and in writing.
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with city officials, associates, city employees, insurance carriers and others.

• Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university.
• Three years of personnel experience, one year of which shall have been at the journeyman level providing technical personnel services in the area of employee benefits.

• Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

PAY RANGE: EP23
Class Established: 11/1971

Latest Spec. Revision: 12/1980

SK/deb/ps