Caring. Creative. Careers.

Join the Lettuce Entertain You team! Our 100+ restaurants are nationally recognized for great food and service and as great places to work. We hire and care deeply for people with creativity, passion and the drive to be the best. And we reward our teams with top notch benefits, career-long training and development and opportunities for growth. If you want a career at a progressive company with a long-standing commitment to people, join our caring and creative team.

EOE. We participate in E-Verify / Participamos en E-Verify

Ideal candidate will possess:

• 
  7-10 years of experience in benefits administration, including experience leading people
• A passion for both the tactical and strategic components of this role
• Restaurant/hospitality industry experience and a strong customer service orientation
  
• A strong customer service orientation
• Financial planning and benefits administration/technology acumen
• A compassionate and caring approach
• Strong communication skills with internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• UKG and Workers Compensation experience preferred

The Director of Benefits and Workers’ Compensation is responsible for the planning, design, administration and governance of all fully insured and company-funded employee group and voluntary insurance and workers’ compensation plans and programs, ensuring full alignment with business strategy and our Culture of Caring. In strong partnership with Human Resources, Risk Management, Legal, Executive and Operations leaders and teams and in a dynamic, entrepreneurial, matrixed, fast-paced environment, they ensure optimal program and service delivery and compliance with applicable laws and regulations

Essential Functions

• Provide strategic leadership and hands-on support for the planning, design, administration and governance of all fully insured and company-funded employee group and voluntary insurance and workers’ compensation plans and programs, ensuring full alignment with business strategy, insurance committee decisions and our Culture of Caring
• Enforce on-going compliance with applicable local, state and federal insurance benefits and workers’ compensation laws, regulations, financial reporting requirements, information/data security and governance practices in all geographic markets, including without limitation by example: OSHA, 1095-C, 1094 and 5500 filings, ERISA, ACA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, PICOR and Section 125
• Together with the Benefits and Workers’ Compensation teams, advise and guide leaders and employees as the internal subject matter experts on all insurance benefits and workers’ compensation matters, including eligibility, coverage and claims procedures
• Develop key performance metrics for designated insurance benefits and workers’ compensation processes; measures and analyzes the effectiveness of programs and process delivery
• Develop and manage annual and ad hoc budgets and financial plans to secure funding for insurance benefits (including without limitation, self-insured plans) and workers’ compensation compliance and workplace safety/cost-containment programs
• Accurately forecast and manage program expenses and payroll deductions, payments and entries
• Partner with Payroll, Finance and HR Systems and Compliance teams to develop and implement program auditing processes (both financial and operational) and to ensure on-going compliance with internal and external audit requirements (including but not limited to loss retention and lag reporting)
• Investigate and identify appropriate and cost-effective outsourcing opportunities and manage related implementations; evaluate and manage relationships with and performance of plan administrators, legal counsel, consultants, investigators, advisors and other service providers, including regular feedback and collaboration to create, implement, and manage continuous process improvement
• Work closely with Benefits, Workers’ Compensation, HR Systems and Compliance and IT teams to ensure that current and proposed insurance benefits and workers’ compensation plans’ design, eligibility, enrollment, communications and resource requirements can be managed by and successfully delivered from existing and/or future technology systems and processes
• Supervise, assist, set overall expectations and manage all aspects of the performance and development of Benefits and Workers’ Compensation teams to ensure results while encouraging and supporting professional growth
• Support and oversee Benefits team’s responsibilities to:
• Strategically manage multi-state employee group and voluntary insurance programs (including but not limited to medical, long-term disability, life, and other insurance programs); structure and oversee execution of related processes related to new hires, life events, retirement, employment terminations, etc. (including employer and employee contributions, group and claim bank accounts, health savings bank contributions, payroll processes, large loss and stop loss claims)
• Establish, audit and enforce compliance with internal, legal and regulatory privacy and confidentiality obligations and protocols
• Partner with third-party insurance broker to conduct market research and analysis of employee benefit plans/programs and market trends; negotiate new and renewal rates, services, administration and coverage with carriers and state programs; provide strategic oversight, make recommendations to enhance/maintain internal equity and external competitiveness; and recommend insurance benefits design modeling and financial recommendations integral to the annual benefit plans renewal process; on-going oversight and administration of carrier funding agreements (including but not limited to rebates and cost containment agreements)
• Partner with the Insurance Committee and Executive, Operations and Human Resources leaders to develop insurance benefits strategies, policies, programs and policies that are competitive, innovatively designed, balanced, uniformly applied, cost efficient and achieve strategic business objectives
• Design, draft and update plans, plan documents, summary plan descriptions, wrap documents as well as other administrative and policy manuals to improve information management, insurance benefits reporting, and program compliance
• Manage all aspects of the annual Open Enrollment process, including employee communications, benefits administration and payroll systems and post enrollment follow-ups, including ongoing updates provided to HR and Executive leaders and the Insurance Committee
• Lead collaboration with Human Resources, Risk Management and other corporate functions to develop and deliver compelling employee communications and training resources
• Audit benefit plan rebate programs
• Support and oversee Workers’ Compensation team’s responsibilities to:
• Establish and oversee company protocols for managing fully compliant multi-state workers’ compensation programs, securing programs and systems to maintain optimal administration
• Maintain current log of work-related injuries and illnesses, and review and interpret employee accident reports for proper inclusion on OSHA 300 log and electronic reporting
• Coordinate with workers’ compensation carriers, administrators and attorneys (including selection and performance appraisal of legal teams) to provide optimal litigation defense
• Advise and approve the litigation and financial authority as needed for workers’ compensation claim and insurance purposes
• Establish cost-containment and risk mitigation goals and programs to reduce costs and exposure to losses and the means to measure those initiatives through workplace safety and workers’ compensation-related processes
• Lead collaboration with Human Resources, Risk Management and other corporate functions to develop and deliver compelling employee communications and training resources
• Audit workers’ compensation medical discount programs
• Build strong and effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels to share information, leverage resources and jointly design results-based solutions that balance business, employee and legal needs; motivate stakeholders to help implement and support change; develop strategies for responding to resistance to change
• Effectively translate benchmarks and apply goals, strategies and existing policies and practices to individual situations; take a broad problem-solving view by identifying critical factors in a particular situation and considering the consequences and broader impact of alternate courses of action before recommending solutions
• Periodically visit business units in all geographic markets to build in-person relationships, obtain and respond to employee feedback, conduct investigations, gauge employee engagement levels, coach management teams and provide employee relations support
• Maintain availability to work a variety of days and times, including weekends and overnight travel (to conduct investigations, participate in employee feedback sessions, attend meetings and build relationships), as needed
• Maintain proficiency and safely and effectively use and operate all necessary tools, equipment, software and platforms
• Effectively communicate in order to perform and follow job requirements in written and spoken direction
• Multitask calmly and effectively in a busy, stressful environment
• Work in a confined, crowded space of variable light, noise and temperature levels
• Move and lift files or office supplies weighing up to 10 pounds

• Follow all rules, policies, procedures and conditions of employment, including those outlined in the Employee Handbook
• Get along well with others and act as a team player
• Other duties assigned as needed