Talent Services Specialist

** Grand Casino Hinckley
**** Talent Services Specialist
**** DEPARTMENT:
** Talent
* * EXEMPT (Y/N):
** N
*
* REPORTS TO:

** Benefits and Rewards Manager
** SALARY GRADE:
** N07
* * Serve Every Associate. Simplify Every Process. Support Every Step.
** As the Talent Services Specialist, you are the central resource that unifies Talent services across Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley. This role is essential to supporting our Associates through benefits, leaves, workers compensation, unemployment, and wellness.

This is a versatile role that works closely with every area of the Talent team — benefits, unemployment, workers compensation, leaves, alcohol and drug testing, and the hotline our Associates rely on for answers. You are often the first voice an Associate hears when they have a question about their benefits or their leave, and the person who follows that question all the way through to resolution.

You bring accuracy, discretion, and follow-through to work that directly affects people’s livelihoods — and you help our processes get better as our casinos, systems, and laws change.
** What You’ll Do
**** Associate Support + Talent Hotline
*** Answer and reply to Talent hotline questions, providing answers or follow-up until the issue is fully resolved.
* Serve as a central resource for Associates across both casino properties on benefits, leaves, and Talent processes.
* Work with others on Associate HRIS issues, researching and resolving discrepancies.
* Partner with the Strategic Partners in gathering data about people, performance, and processes needed to create meaningful insights for the departments they support.
* Openness to team up with others at all levels to deliver business needs to the departments.
** Benefits + Total Rewards
*** Assist in administering benefits for all Associates, including enrollments, changes, qualifying life events, and terminations.
* Administer COBRA in-house — issuing qualifying event notices, tracking elections and premium payments, and maintaining the required documentation and timelines.
* Provide one-on-one benefits education to Associates — walking through plan options, eligibility, enrollment windows, and how to use their coverage — and help promote the broader benefits education and campaigns created by the Benefits and Rewards Manager.
* Possess a practical understanding of all aspects of the total rewards provided to our Associates.
* Perform routine tasks required to administer and execute Talent programs including compensation, benefits, and leave.
** Leaves, FMLA + Accommodations
*** Understand and interpret federal, state, and local employment laws and apply them accurately to Associate situations.
* Fully process FMLA from initial request through return to work, following all applicable laws, notice requirements, and documentation standards.
* Follow leaves through to completion — tracking eligibility, certifications, recertifications, intermittent usage, and return-to-work dates.
* Work with leaders and Strategic Partners on accommodations related to leaves, coordinating the interactive process and supporting documentation.
* Maintain confidentiality and consistent treatment across all leave and accommodation matters.
** Unemployment
* ** Prepare and assist with unemployment claims, responses, documentation, and hearings.
* Partner with leaders and Strategic Partners to ensure unemployment documentation is accurate and submitted within required time frames.
** Workers Compensation
*** Assist with workers compensation claims — reporting injuries, coordinating with the carrier, and tracking claim status.
* Support Associates and leaders through return-to-work and restricted duty, partnering with Risk as needed.
** HRIS + Data Integrity
*** Work within the…