HR Benefits Manager

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The HR Benefits Manager is responsible for the overall strategic decision making to, compliance, vendor management, and continuous improvement of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) employee benefit programs. This role serves as the primary benefits subject matter expert within HR Operations and provides leadership and oversight for the day-to-day Benefits function.

The Benefits Manager oversees health and welfare plans, PTO policy, retirement benefits, COBRA administration, life and disability insurance, benefits data integrity, audits, employee communications, and carrier relationships. This position directly supervises the HR Benefits & Onboarding Administrator and partners closely with Payroll, Finance, Accounting, Legal, HRIS, benefit brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant benefits administration.

• Lead the administration and oversight of AOI employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, voluntary life, disability, HSA/FSA programs, COBRA, 401(k), wellness programs, and other company-sponsored benefits.
• Supervise, coach, and develop the Benefits & Onboarding Administrator and provide guidance on day-to-day benefits administration, onboarding support, employee inquiries, and escalated cases.
• Ensure benefit enrollments, terminations, qualifying life events, dependent changes, beneficiary updates, and other benefit transactions are processed accurately and timely.
• Lead AOI's annual Open Enrollment process, including planning, system configuration, employee communications, enrollment materials, carrier coordination, and post-enrollment audits.
• Serve as a primary HR contact for benefit brokers, insurance carriers, COBRA administrators, retirement plan providers, and other benefits vendors.
• Manage and escalation complex employee benefit issues, including enrollment discrepancies, dependent coverage issues, claims concerns, life insurance matters, disability cases, and carrier data errors.
• Conduct routine audits and reconciliations between ADP Workforce Now, payroll deductions, carrier systems, eligibility records, and vendor files to identify and correct discrepancies.
• Partner with Payroll to ensure employee deductions, employer contributions, benefit changes, and other benefit-related payroll transactions are accurate.
• Oversee COBRA administration and ensure qualifying events, notices, elections, premium requirements, and coverage effective dates are administered in accordance with applicable requirements.
• Provide HR oversight of AOI's 401(k) plan administration and coordinate with the plan recordkeeper, Payroll, Finance, Accounting, and external advisors regarding eligibility, contributions, plan changes, audits, and employee questions.
• Support employees and beneficiaries with complex life insurance, voluntary life, disability, death benefit, beneficiary, and surviving spouse matters and coordinate directly with carriers when escalation is required.
• Ensure AOI benefit programs are administered in accordance with applicable ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, IRS, Department of Labor, and other federal and state requirements.
• Maintain benefit-related policies, procedures, plan documents, required notices, records, and supporting documentation for audit and compliance purposes.
• Support internal and external audits involving employee benefits, retirement plans, eligibility, enrollment, payroll deductions, and HR controls.
• Monitor benefit carrier data feeds and system integrations and partner with HRIS, IT, ADP, and vendors to resolve transmission, eligibility, or enrollment issues.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), internal controls, and backup procedures for critical benefits processes.
• Develop recurring benefits reports and metrics covering enrollment, utilization, plan costs, participation, employee service levels, vendor performance, and operational trends.
• Partner with HR leadership and AOI's benefits broker on annual renewals, plan design evaluations, market benchmarking, cost analysis, and recommendations for benefit program changes.
• Assist with annual benefits budgeting and forecasting and provide supporting analysis to HR, Finance, and leadership.
• Develop employee benefit communications and educational materials and support new hire orientation to improve employee understanding and utilization of AOI benefit programs.
• Identify opportunities to automate,…