Elaine Held
Pasadena,CA
Summary
Collaborative individual with expertise in providing exemplary service regarding benefits support. Multitasking Benefits Specialist knowledgeable in state and federal regulations and maintaining employee confidentiality.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Benefits Specialist
Edwards Lifesciences
Irvine, CA
04.2022 - 05.2025
- Trained new HR team members on benefits enrollment processes and best practices, ensuring a consistently high standard of service for employees.
- Managed annual open enrollment process, coordinating informational sessions and providing support to employees throughout the process.
- Reconciled monthly billing statements from insurance carriers, identifying discrepancies and resolving issues promptly.
- Collaborated with HR team to ensure accurate and timely employee benefits administration.
- Served as a liaison between employees, insurance carriers, and brokers to resolve complex benefits-related issues effectively.
- Educated employees on available benefit options, enabling informed decision-making during open enrollment periods.
- Implemented a new benefits management system, resulting in improved data organization and accessibility.
- Increased efficiency in benefits enrollment processes through effective communication with internal and external stakeholders.
- Regularly reviewed vendor performance metrics, ensuring high-quality service delivery from insurance providers and other partners involved in benefits administration.
- Efficiently managed multiple competing priorities while maintaining excellent attention to detail in administering complex benefit plans for employees across different job functions.
- Provided exceptional customer service to employees, addressing concerns regarding their benefits packages.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of industry trends and legislative changes affecting employee benefits programs.
- Explained benefits to plan participants in easy to understand terms in order to educate each on available options.
- Resolved issues and inquiries from plan participants regarding health and welfare benefits and deductions through telephone, email, and in-person interactions.
- Observed strict procedures to maintain data and plan participant confidentiality.
- Coordinated and conducted employee orientations to promote understanding of coverage and options.
- Built relationships with vendors to foster quality service delivery.
- Collaborated with HR to develop and maintain up-to-date benefits manual.
Administrative Assistant
Pasadena Educational Network
04.2016 - 03.2022
- Provide administration help to a non-profit education group.
- Duties include donation acknowledgments, database management and reporting and assisting with fundraising events.
Sr. Recruiter
Baxter Healthcare Pharmaceutical Ltd
01.2003 - 04.2007
- Part of a global HR Team supporting multiple corporate functions with full cycle recruiting.
Human Resources Coordinator
Baxter Healthcare Pharmaceutical Ltd
01.2002 - 01.2003
- Re-established FMLA/PDL/WC processes under the HR umbrella.
- Educated employees, managers/supervisors of the leave process.
- Implemented a tracking system and worked with benefit/payroll notification.
Benefits Analyst
Unified Western Grocers, Inc.
09.2000 - 01.2002
- Helped, trouble shoot/resolve daily benefits needs/issues for union and non-union employees.
- Administer FMLA/PDL/WC for union and non-union employees.
- Educate supervisors on the process.
- Organized yearly open enrollment meetings/vendor fairs, financial, health and welfare workshops.
Benefits Analyst
Edwards Lifesciences LLC
09.1999 - 01.2000
- RFP's for outside benefits administrators, beta testing new systems, establishing new vendors for new benefit plans, communicating changes via company wide emails, voicemails, location visits and benefit meetings.
- Financial authorization for all plans, reporting and utilization.
- Advising on day to day benefit issues.
Benefits Coordinator
Baxter Healthcare Pharmaceutical Ltd
02.1997 - 09.1999
- Assist with the day to day activities related to compensation and benefits.
- Trouble shoot/resolve employee benefit issues.
- Organize compensation, health and welfare workshops and presentations.
- Assist with annual open enrollment and organization of benefit vendor fair.
- Manage FMLA/PDL/WC for site specific location.
Education
Business Administration -
Chapman University
01.1997
Skills
- Recruiting/Staffing/Hiring
- Technical Recruiting
- Candidate Sourcing
- Sourcing Strategy
- Applicant Tracking System
- Onboarding
- Compensation and Benefits
- Employee Benefits
- FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993)
- Workers Compensation
LANGUAGES
English
Timeline
Senior Benefits Specialist
Edwards Lifesciences
04.2022 - 05.2025
Administrative Assistant
Pasadena Educational Network
04.2016 - 03.2022
Sr. Recruiter
Baxter Healthcare Pharmaceutical Ltd
01.2003 - 04.2007
Human Resources Coordinator
Baxter Healthcare Pharmaceutical Ltd
01.2002 - 01.2003
Benefits Analyst
Unified Western Grocers, Inc.
09.2000 - 01.2002
Benefits Analyst
Edwards Lifesciences LLC
09.1999 - 01.2000
Benefits Coordinator
Baxter Healthcare Pharmaceutical Ltd
02.1997 - 09.1999
Business Administration -
Chapman University