Position Summary

Interior Health is hiring a term specific full-time Benefit Advisor who is passionate about making a difference in health care.

This is a term-specific position until January 28, 2028 or until the return of incumbent.

Location: This position is flexible within the Interior Health Region.

What we offer:

• An attractive remuneration package
• Excellent career prospects
• Employer paid training/education
• Employer paid vacation
• Employer paid insurance premiums
• Extended Health & Dental coverage
• Work-life balance
• May be eligible to contribute to Municipal Pension Plan

The salary range for this position is $63,484 (min) to $79,355 (midpoint) to $91,259 (max) per annum, based on 1.0 FTE. Interior Health typically establishes salaries within the minimum and midpoint of the salary range based on qualifications, experience of the applicant, and an internal equity review of the salaries of other employees.

How will you create an impact:

The Benefit Advisor is responsible for determining benefit plan eligibility and entitlements for employees in assigned client groups. The Benefit Advisor administers the various benefit plans, programs, and accruals in accordance with benefit plan provider guidelines, Collective Agreements, and the Terms and Conditions (T&C) of Employment for Executive and Non Contract Staff. The Benefit Advisor assists individual health facilities and community care facilities with benefit plan information and advice as requested.

What will you work on:

• Provides benefit plan information and support to individual healthcare facilities and community care facilities in assigned client groups. Processes Collective Agreement and Employment Standards changes to benefit entitlements.
• Determines employees’ entitlements for health and welfare benefit plans and processes applicable applications along with counseling employees regarding benefits (i.e. dual coverage) in accordance with the various different Collective Agreements and Terms and Conditions of Employment.
• Processes life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment claims with beneficiaries/estates and insurers in accordance with the various collective agreements and terms and conditions of employment. Processes advanced life insurance claims and optional life insurance where applicable.
• Interprets hiring, change position, change in status and/or termination documents to determine health and welfare benefit eligibility and various benefit bank entitlements, vacation date entitlement, severance date entitlement, increment bank and/or increment date entitlement and portability entitlements in accordance with the various different past and present Collective Agreements and Terms and Conditions of Employment.
• Determines employees’ eligibility for enrollment in the Municipal Pension Plan and Public Service Pension Plan and processes related documentation. Determines purchase of service eligibility for Municipal Pension and Public Service Pension Plans along with employee and/or employer shared entitlements. Provides Payroll with notification when Pension ceases and/or LTD claims start/stop. Liaises directly with the Pension Corporation on pension issues.
• Counsels employees on the retirement process. Determines severance and sick payout entitlements on retiring/resigning/deceased employees in accordance with the various different past and present Collective Agreements and Terms and Conditions of Employment.
• Interprets the various different past and present Collective Agreements and Terms and Conditions of employment and advises Managers regarding the approval or denial of applications for leaves such as maternity/parental and unpaid leaves. Monitors and maintains leaves in accordance with the various different past and present Collective agreements and the Terms and Conditions of Employment. Provides the employees with the various benefit entitlements including cost to continue coverage during leaves, layoffs, etc. and arranges supplemental benefit payment agreements and pre-authorized payment plans.
• Provides various Short and Long Term Disability (LTD) Plan information and documentation to employees in consultation with Disability Management Specialists. Processes all documentation related to LTD claims including completing earnings calculations for entitlements and liaises directly with insurance carriers.
• Represents the employer in administering LTD claims, WCB wage loss, WCB Section 16 and various different types of return to work agreements to determine appropriate continuance of benefit banks and health and welfare entitlements.
• Adjusts vacation dates, plans and increment entitlement dates and seniority entitlement dates for leaves over entitlement in accordance with the various past and present Collective Agreements and Terms and Conditions of Employment.
• Audits non-insured benefit accruals for applicable adjustments. Audits insured benefits for changes in entitlement.
• Completes third party requests for information as related to benefits.
• Provides expert advice to the Employee Relations and Labour Relations Specialists regarding benefit related grievances.
• In alignment with IH’s Occupational Health & Safety Program, employees shall adhere to all Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures at all times and attend all required training. Employees are responsible to report any identified hazards, unsafe conditions or incidents to the manager or supervisor immediately.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Interior Health strives to create an environment where you enjoy the work you do, the place where you work, and the people around you. Together, we create great workplaces. Apply today!

Honouring Interior Health’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), and Pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preferential consideration and/or hiring will be given to qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit).

Qualifications

Education, Training and Experience

• Degree or Diploma in Human Resource Management or a related field.
• CPHR is considered an asset.
• Three to five years of recent, related experience, including a thorough knowledge of relevant Collective Agreements, the Pension Act, policies, and employee benefit programs in the healthcare industry.
• Or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work independently and interdependently as a team member.
• Ability to influence others effectively at all levels of the organization as well as externally.
• Ability to assimilate the details of various Collective Agreements and to apply them to varied and complex situations.
• Ability to operate related equipment and software programs.
• Attention to detail.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Comments

Interior Health is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to creating an environment free from discrimination. Our goal is to cultivate a workforce rich in culture, experience, and knowledge to enable us to provide high quality, accessible and culturally safe health services to everyone in the Interior Health region. We are committed to addressing existing inequities and barriers to achieving a diverse workforce, one that is representative of the communities we serve. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently marginalized groups.