Brook Benson

Sole HR & Risk Management Lead for a public transit agency, providing executive-level strategic guidance and hands-on administration across all HR, risk management, and compliance functions.

Key Achievements

· Conducted market salary surveys and internal pay equity analysis, resolved wage scale compression and range overlap issues during biennial compensation review, and produced a restructured pay grade and salary structure submitted for board approval.

· Recovered $3,000+ in improper insurance charges by successfully disputing a back-charge from the agency’s life insurance provider, preventing the misuse of public funds.

· Completed FLSA classification reviews, correcting the agency’s overtime compliance posture.

Areas of Responsibility

· Administered the full scope of HR operations, including employee relations, investigations, classification and compensation, benefits, leave, risk management, payroll partnership, and compliance with federal and state employment law.

· Developed and implemented HR policies, procedures, and programs from the ground up, including formal separation procedures, an employee service award and recognition program, and an agency-wide HR communication framework.

· Coordinated with legal counsel and external HR consultants on complex employment matters and compliance determinations.

· Managed benefits, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, leave programs,

· Supported employee-facing 401(k) with 6% employer match, and deferred compensation.

Benefits Analyst Aug 2022 – Dec 2024
HR Generalist Jun 2021 – Jul 2022
HR Assistant III Mar 2019 – May 2021
HR Assistant II May 2018 – Feb 2019
Program Specialist Jan 2017 – May 2018
Admin Pool Temp Jul 2016 – Dec 2016

Progressed through six roles over eight years at a nonprofit federal contractor operating under a U.S. Department of Energy contract, supporting HR and benefits administration for a combined population of 700+ employees and 2,200+ research fellows.

Key Achievements

• Recovered $3M+ in vendor overpayments through proactive benefits invoice auditing and reconciliation, improving financial stewardship.

• Partnered with the benefits broker to secure an $80K wellness program grant that was subsequently increased twice.

• Redesigned a paper-based research fellow benefits application process into a fully electronic platform, eliminating 100% of paper usage and improving data accuracy by 40%.

• Led open enrollment coordination across seven vendors with 100% data validation accuracy, ensuring zero enrollment errors across a complex multi-vendor benefits ecosystem.

Areas of Responsibility

Acted as the primary benefits administrator for Med/Rx, Dental, Vision, and EAP for over 2,200 ORISE research fellows, while also managing full-cycle benefits for a self-funded program covering 700+ employees.

• Ensured compliance with ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, FMLA, and COBRA requirements across a multi-state workforce.

• Partnered closely with payroll on benefits premium accuracy, deductions, reconciliation, and compliance reporting, ensuring accurate transmission of employee benefit elections and contribution data.

• Administered multi-state leave programs, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.

• Produced written regulatory interpretations resolving complex compliance questions, including an ERISA federal preemption analysis that determined the organization’s obligations under conflicting state and federal law.

• Supported employee-facing administration of retirement benefit offerings, including a 403(b) with 6% employer match, supplemental retirement plan with 3% employer match, and Roth plan, for 700+ benefit-eligible employees.

• Reviewed and corrected agency training materials for FMLA, ACA, and ADA compliance, ensuring accuracy of guidance distributed to employees and managers.

• Developed job aids and reference materials adopted as standard resources by the benefits team.

• Directed and developed HR staff on benefits administration processes, serving as a day-to-day resource for quality review and workflow guidance.