Employee Benefits Analyst I

Position Information

Expand your career with the County of Sonoma Human Resources Department. Starting salary up to $58.11/hour ($121,282/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

If you’re motivated by intellectual challenges, working in a fast-paced environment that can change daily, and being part of a supportive team, come join us!

We are currently recruiting for this position at the I and II levels. Please apply to this and the separate, concurrent recruitment being conducted for Employee Benefits Analyst II if you are interested in being considered at both levels of this opportunity.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available, depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Employee Benefits Analyst II ($52.63 - $63.97/hour)
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

Join Our Team

The Human Resources Department (County HR) is a team of 60+ employees who provide human resources and risk management services to 32 agencies, departments, and special districts that employ 4,700+ positions. These diverse services include employee benefits, classification plan management, recruitment and examination, countywide training, employee and labor relations, equal employment opportunity, HR information systems, occupational health and safety, risk management, and workplace violence prevention. Our mission is to be a trusted partner, providing our clients with HR services that work to effectively recruit, develop, and retain an outstanding workforce committed to providing quality public service. We value customer service, collaboration, professionalism, consistency, proactive planning, flexibility, and innovative problem-solving. County HR is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone who works with, for, and/or receives services from the County of Sonoma is welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Our Benefits Unit is a team of 8 highly motivated and solution-driven professionals who strive to provide excellent customer service to the County employees, retirees, and departments we serve. We are supportive and collaborative, working together to successfully research, analyze, and address many employee and retiree benefits matters. As a Benefits Analyst, you will:

• Understand, interpret, and keep current on federal and state benefit laws and regulations, policies, and procedures affecting health and wellness programs
• Collaborate with the Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) team, payroll staff, and County Information Systems Department (ISD) to ensure the integrity of all benefits-related data
• Generate, audit, and authorize vendor payments
• Deliver presentations, training, and provide written and verbal health and welfare benefit information to employees, retirees, affiliates, vendors, and other interested parties
• Provide training and technical direction to support staff, including guidance on how best to resolve complex employee and retiree benefit issues

This position’s hours are typically Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and work is primarily performed in an office environment; however, depending upon operational needs, this position must also be willing to work extra hours intermittently to complete specific tasks. Flexible scheduling and telework arrangements may be available with manager approval.

What You Bring

As the next member of our team and our ideal candidate, you bring your proven experience administering employee and retiree benefit plans, services, and programs. Additionally, you bring integrity, reliability, and sound judgment to how you interact and work with others, and your:

• Working knowledge of employee benefit plans, including medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), tax code IRC Section 125, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Health Reimbursement Accounts
• Knowledge of federal and state benefit laws such as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), IRC Section 125, and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
• Experience reconciling and auditing the payment of provider invoices
• Strong technical and data management skills and experience working with HRIS and content management systems, database tools, and the Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to present technical information clearly and concisely, in a compelling way, to a variety of audiences
• Customer-focused mindset and the ability to partner with a diverse client base
• Passion for process improvement and experience recommending creative solutions

While not required, certifications in benefits management are helpful. However, we are interested in finding the best candidate for our position and will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, education, and training to meet the minimum qualifications described below. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and transferable skill set and how they set you up to be the best candidate for this position.

Bring Your Commitment to Public Service to the County of Sonoma

The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides our communities, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov and sonomacountyconnections.org .

We are currently recruiting to fill an Employee Benefits Analyst position at either the I or II level. This Employee Benefits Analyst I employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title of this position is Risk Management Analyst I.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

Application Submissions Require The Supplemental Questionnaire Be Completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of coursework, training, and/or work experience which clearly demonstrates possession of the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, this would include the following:

Experience: One year of experience working with occupational safety and health programs, workers' compensation, disability management, employee benefits and insurance, casualty insurance, or loss control programs, preferably with a public agency and/or in a risk management program.

Education: Academic coursework in public administration, business administration, accounting, law, economics, safety, industrial engineering, risk management, and/or other related courses. A bachelor's degree related to one of these fields is highly desirable.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: principles and practices, legal statutes, civil procedures, and administrative regulations relating to occupational health and safety, workers' compensation, disability management, liability, employee benefits and insurance, or related programs, and related non-monetary compensation; medical and technical terminology used in individual injury cases; claims adjusting, investigation, and administrative techniques necessary to carry management of claims from initial report to settlement or closure; operations and functions of County government, including budget methods, program analysis, employee relations, and group dynamics; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition; research methodology, report writing, basic statistics, and actuarial principles and appropriate applications; modern office methods, procedures, and computer applications related to work, including methods of graphical presentation and management of electronic database systems.

Ability to: use judgment and discretion to integrate technical knowledge with interpersonal and communication skills dealing with the public, County management personnel, employees, attorneys, medical providers, and others in a manner consistent with the policies, practices, and procedures of the organization; research, understand, interpret, and apply specific rules, laws, ordinances, and policies to applicable risk management areas such as disability, safety, liability, and benefits; plan and organize research and statistical reports relating to various aspects of risk management, budget, general management matters, accident causation, safety conditions or benefits; evaluate results and recommend corrective measures using principles of inductive and deductive reasoning; and where applicable, effectively present conclusions before advisory and policy bodies; organize, develop, and prepare claims for assignment to counsel, trial and pretrial conferences; prepare informational materials, brochures, and newsletters to relate complex regulations and data to employees and officials; organize and develop effective programs for the reduction of occupational hazards and accident prevention; facilitate consensus and negotiate resolution of complex problems involving a variety of claimants, individuals, employee groups, consultants, carriers and service providers; analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action working independently and with either oral or written direction.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application Submissions Require The Supplemental Questionnaire Be Completed.

Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How To Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CG

HR Technician: RR

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: MANAGEMENT*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off :Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan :Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generousCounty contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement :Fully integrated with Social Security.For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan :Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical :County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 5/7/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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