Amy Fenimore
Old Bridge
Summary
Strategic Benefits and Leave Specialist with over 15 years of experience designing and scaling comprehensive benefit frameworks. Expert in implementing data-driven solutions that optimize employee satisfaction and ensure regulatory compliance across diverse benefit and leave programs.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Benefit and Leave Specialist
Omnicom Health Group
New York
2024.12 - 2025.04
- Supported the administration of high-volume benefit programs at Omnicom Health Group, including health and welfare plans, disability, family leave, and retirement plans.
- Conducted audits on leaves of absence, and administered reasonable accommodation requests to ensure compliance.
- Assisted employees with benefit inquiries and escalated issues, while also sourcing employee perks and discounts.
- Processed employee leave requests and maintained accurate records in the HR system.
- Collaborated with senior management on corporate strategy development initiatives.
- Analyzed workflows to identify process inefficiencies and recommend improvements.
Senior Manager, Benefits & Wellness
Real Chemistry
New York
2022.05 - 2023.07
- Design and manage benefit programs, ensuring alignment with emerging trends and employee needs.
- Administer group health, wellness, and 401(k) plans, maintaining seamless vendor relationships.
- Oversee medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits, plus leave of absence programs.
- Conduct research and analysis for ad-hoc projects, developing actionable recommendations.
- Implemented process improvements to optimize team workflows and productivity.
- Oversaw communication plans to ensure consistent messaging across channels.
- Evaluated vendor relationships to support organizational objectives and cost management.
- Mentored junior staff in the organization's business processes, customer service standards, and quality assurance protocols.
- Lead annual open enrollment, develop communications, and coordinate sessions to ensure smooth transitions.
- Spearheaded a comprehensive benefits program evaluation, implementing data-driven enhancements that boosted employee satisfaction and retention rates.
- Revolutionized benefits strategy, aligning programs with industry trends and employee needs, resulting in substantial improvements in satisfaction scores.
- Conducted an in-depth analysis of benefits utilization, identifying cost-saving opportunities while enhancing employee wellness offerings.
- Streamlined open enrollment process, reducing administrative time, and increasing participation rates through targeted communication strategies.
- Fostered strong partnerships with vendors, negotiating favorable terms, and ensuring seamless integration of health, wellness, and retirement plans.
- Pioneered a data-driven approach to benefits management, leading to innovative program enhancements that significantly boosted retention rates.
Benefits Manager, Leave Management
Real Chemistry
New York
2020.06 - 2022.05
- Architected a comprehensive Leave of Absence (LOA) framework, encompassing policy design, vendor selection, and standardized operating procedures to ensure 100% regulatory compliance, and a seamless employee experience.
- Directed comprehensive employee time-off programs, ensuring 100% alignment with federal and state regulations, including FMLA, ADA, and short-term and long-term disability statutes.
- Mitigated institutional legal risks by conducting regular audits of leave policies and stay-at-work programs to maintain strict compliance with evolving labor laws.
- Served as a subject matter expert (SME) on complex leave-related scenarios, providing strategic consultation to management and HR partners to ensure equitable policy application.
- Optimized HRIS workflows to automate leave tracking, resulting in increased administrative efficiency and a significant reduction in manual data entry errors.
- Managed end-to-end administration of paid and unpaid leave programs, streamlining the transition between active and inactive employee statuses.
- Enhanced Payroll accuracy by synchronizing leave-of-absence data with payroll systems, drastically reducing overpayment incidents and reconciling discrepancies.
- Facilitated the interactive process for ADA accommodations, collaborating with employees and healthcare providers to identify and implement reasonable workplace solutions.
- Acted as a primary consultant for leadership on sensitive, high-risk leave cases, balancing business continuity needs with employee advocacy.
- Developed and delivered training sessions for people managers on leave policies and compliance requirements to improve internal communication and employee support.
Senior Benefits Analyst, Leave Specialist
Omnicom Media Group
New York
2016.10 - 2020.06
- Managed daily administration of benefits programs for over 4,000 employees, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.
- Provided exceptional customer support for benefit and leave inquiries, resolving issues efficiently.
- Administered employee leave of absences, including FMLA, disability, and statutory leave benefits.
- Strategized and implemented new benefit plans, enhancing employee satisfaction and engagement.
- Oversaw wellness programs, tuition reimbursement, and unemployment claims, supporting employee well-being.
- Managed comprehensive benefits programs for 4,000 employees, overseeing medical, financial, and wellness offerings, while ensuring compliance with regulations.
- Administered diverse leave types, including FMLA and statutory benefits, providing empathetic support and guidance to employees during critical life events.
- Streamlined benefits administration processes, resolving complex issues, and enhancing employee satisfaction through proactive problem-solving and vendor partnerships.
- Spearheaded wellness initiatives and benefit enhancements, continuously improving offerings to meet evolving employee needs, and company objectives.
- Executed precise semi-monthly payroll changes, managed unemployment claims, and oversaw the tuition reimbursement program, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Optimized benefits administration for over 4,000 employees, ensuring regulatory compliance, and resolving complex issues through data-driven strategies.
Benefits Consultant
Publicis Groupe
New York
2011.08 - 2016.09
- Provide group benefit support and customer service to Publicis brand employees daily, to an approximate population of 20,000 employees.
- Act as a liaison between employees and insurance carriers.
- Responsible for directing and planning the day-to-day operations of group benefit programs: group health, dental, vision, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, flexible spending plans, 401(k) plan, voluntary plans, group legal plan, wellness programs, and other assistance programs.
- Daily responsibilities include assisting employees via the Publicis Benefits hotline and shared email inbox by communicating to ensure employees have a thorough understanding of benefits, employee enrollments, IRS Qualifying Events, COBRA, terminations, changes, beneficiaries, disability, accident and death claims, rollovers, QDROs, QMCSOs, loans, hardships, FMLA/CFRA leaves, and retiree benefits.
- EOB resolution, issue resolution, benefit reporting, and a high volume of Short Term Disability and FMLA/CFRA leaves.
- Responsible for managing group benefits for a designated group of employees (an approximate population of 3,000 employees).
- Provide backup support, on an as-needed basis, for the 401(k) funding process.
- Oversee and manage all Long Term Disability claims, as well as grandfathered claims. Responsible for quarterly financial reporting of the LTD population.
- Knowledge of all pertinent federal and state regulations affecting employee benefit programs, including ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, Section 125, and Medicare requirements.
- Remain current on industry trends.
Education
Continuing Education - Human Resource Management
Pace University
New York, NY2016-01
Bachelor of Science - Business, Management, And Finance
City University of New York-Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY2005-05
Skills
- Benefit program design
- Leave Management
- Compliance auditing
- HRIS optimization
- Vendor management
- Employee relations
- Wellness Programs
- Process improvement
- Data analysis
- Benefits communication
- Project management
- Strategic consultation
- HR policies
- Customer Service
Certification
SHRM-CP
Timeline
Benefit and Leave Specialist
Omnicom Health Group
2024.12 - 2025.04
Senior Manager, Benefits & Wellness
Real Chemistry
2022.05 - 2023.07
Benefits Manager, Leave Management
Real Chemistry
2020.06 - 2022.05
Senior Benefits Analyst, Leave Specialist
Omnicom Media Group
2016.10 - 2020.06
Benefits Consultant
Publicis Groupe
2011.08 - 2016.09
Continuing Education - Human Resource Management
Pace University
Bachelor of Science - Business, Management, And Finance
City University of New York-Brooklyn College