Sr. Benefits & Leave Analyst

The Senior Benefits & Leave Analyst provides advanced analytical and administrative support, serving as a subject matter expert on health, welfare, retirement, and leave of absence programs. This role supports the Benefits Manager by carrying out complex operational tasks, ensuring accurate administration, and delivering high-quality employee experience. The Senior Analyst manages high volume daily workloads, balancing multiple tasks and projects simultaneously while escalating strategic or sensitive decisions to the Benefits Manager as appropriate.

Responsibilities:

• Manage high volume day to day administration of company benefit programs while escalating non routine, complex, or policy impacting matters to the Benefits Manager.
• Resolve routine benefit and leave inquiries from employees, leaders, and People Operations Partners, escalating complex, sensitive, or policyimpacting matters to the Benefits Manager
• Troubleshoot enrollment issues, eligibility discrepancies, payroll deductions, and file-feed errors by partnering with internal teams and external vendors.
• Conduct benefits audits (enrollment, eligibility, deductions, HSA/FSA contributions, retirement contributions, 401(k)/NQDC audits) to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Assist with the preparation and validation of required federal and state benefit filings (e.g., ACA 1094/1095, Form 5500, 401(k) reporting), ensuring accuracy and providing final documentation to the Benefits Manager or appropriate partners for review.
• Administer FMLA, ADA, state leaves, disability, and company leave programs, ensuring timely communication and accurate documentation.
• Maintain leave tracking, case files, communication templates, and compliance logs
• Partner with the Benefits Manager on ADA accommodations or escalated leave situations requiring policy interpretation.
• Support employees and business with sensitive benefit and leave conversations (medical, maternity, accommodations, etc.), providing empathetic and professional guidance.
• Lead daytoday administration of the company's wellbeing program including scheduling events, coordinating with vendors, tracking participation, and supporting ongoing wellness initiatives.
• Help develop and deliver communications that promote engagement and understanding of benefits and wellness programs and resources.
• Maintain documentation and SOPs to support audit readiness, compliance, and process consistency.
• Provide support to annual benefits renewal and annual open enrollment.
• Conduct biweekly benefits orientations and support open enrollment education sessions.
• Lead operational portions of benefits and leave projects, including workflow optimization, automation initiatives, Smartsheet dashboards, and document updates.
• Partner cross functionally with internal teams (People Operations, Finance, Payroll, Legal) to ensure alignment and resolve operational issues.
• Support the Benefits Manager on mid and long term benefits projects or initiatives as needed.

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Experience:

• Three (3) years of progressive experience in benefits and leave administration, including health & welfare, retirement, and leave/accommodation programs.
• Advanced knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, and applicable state leave laws.
• Ability to manage high-volume workloads and prioritize multiple tasks, cases, and projects simultaneously in a fast paced environment.
• Strong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to simplify complex benefit topics for employees and leaders
• Experience with UKG software preferred

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Are you looking for an incredible career opportunity? Then Meritage Homes is the place for you! From the homes we build to the careers we offer, we are focused on delivering a Life.Built.Better.. Meritage is committed to building energy-efficient and affordable entry-level and first move-up homes across the US. We are looking for candidates who are excited about furthering their careers, as well as bringing their authentic self every day to be part of an inclusive organization. Meritage was certified a Great Place To Work for a second year in a row, and is currently ranked on Fortune's Best Workplaces listings in the categories of Construction, Women and Parents. Meritage has delivered over 200,000 homes in its 40-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and award-winning customer experience. Meritage is looking for professionals who are self-starters and want to help our organization grow by providing new and innovative ideas.

When joining Meritage Homes, you and your career can benefit in several ways, including:

• A work environment that encourages creativity and innovative ideas from every level
• An organization that lives by its core values everyday
• Team atmosphere where every individual is considered a vital asset
• State of the art technology to provide an optimal working environment
• A competitive pay structure
• Strong benefits
• Flexibility in work-life integration
• Team-oriented environment where all individuals play an integral role in the company
• Opportunity to further your career in a growing national organization
• Maintain a competitive drive to be the best