A benefits specialist is responsible for coordinating, developing and recommending employee benefits packages to businesses and organizations. They help research and analyze the best options that help companies save on costs while providing employees with adequate coverage for health, personal leave and retirement planning. If you’re getting ready to interview for a position as a benefit specialist, it’s important to anticipate the questions you may encounter during your interview. In this article, we cover common benefit specialist interview questions with several example responses to help you prepare for your interview so you can increase your chances of success.
General questions
At the start of your interview, the interviewer may ask you several questions that help them get to know you and how you fit with their company culture. Here are several examples of what to expect:
Describe how you keep employees updated on important information regarding their benefits?
This question helps the interviewer evaluate your ability to communicate openly and frequently with your team and staff members about important information. Showcase your communication and presentation skills with examples of how you lead meetings and presentations about benefits updates and new offerings.
Example: “My first approach is keeping myself up-to-date on any changes or modifications to my companys benefits programs and current labor laws and legislation. As I learn new information regarding policies and procedures, I hold team meetings with each department to discuss relevant effects to employee benefits plans. Then, I remain available so staff members can come to me with any questions they have about their benefits, and we make changes or adjust them as necessary.”
What benefits do you feel can help companies improve diversity in the workplace?
The interviewer may ask a question like this one to evaluate how you take action to promote diversity and cultural awareness through your actions as a benefit specialist. Use examples from your experience to highlight your attention to detail, communication skills and ability to make decisions.
Example: “In my last company, my team and I coordinated a benefits package that enhanced our maternity leave policy. Before our improvements, the maternity leave only covered mothers in the company. After surveying staff members, I found that many of them were fathers and husbands who had no ability to take personal leave to be with their new families. After redesigning our benefits, our company was able to offer parental leave for both new mothers and fathers, regardless of their qualifications and salary level.”
But as the law states, if he’s not protected by the ADA and can’t perform an essential job function, you have no obligation to reinstate him.
Of all the issues HR deals with, FMLA leave probably causes the most headaches. Here’s some help with five common — and confusing — medical leave scenarios. 1. An employee needs follow-up treatments after surgery and asks to take intermittent FMLA — every other Friday afternoon. Do we need to let her leave early? For the most part, the answer’s yes, says Linda Hollinshead, an attorney with the law firm Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen. But you do have some options. After you get her medical certification, you can ask for a second opinion to make sure she really needs leave. Then, ask if there’s any reason she needs to get treated on Fridays — and have her give you verification from her doctor. If there’s no medical reason to take leave at those times, you’re allowed to ask her to schedule the treatments after work or on other days.2. We have an employee on intermittent FMLA. At first, his absences were sporadic, but now he takes off frequently, always on Monday or Friday. What can we do? Get recertification. Employers are allowed to ask employees on intermittent FMLA to get certified every 30 days — or at any time, if circumstances change, or the company has reason to think something fishy is going on. According to a Department of Labor Opinion Letter (available here), a pattern of Monday/Friday absences is enough to warrant recertification.3. To curb abuse, we have managers or HR reps call employees on leave to make sure they aren’t trying to use FMLA as a substitute for vacation time. Is that legal? Yes, says Hollinshead. That can be an effective way to prevent abuse, and courts have found policies like that to be reasonable. In fact, some companies have even gone as far as hiring a private investigator to watch an employee suspected of FMLA abuse and were able to win in court.4. One of our employees has a serious medical condition. We’ve offered him leave, but he refuses to take it. What do we do now? That depends on the nature of his condition. If he qualifies for FMLA, and the condition prevents him from doing his job safely — or he presents a risk to himself or co-workers — you can make him take leave. Otherwise, forcing leave could cause problems. In one recent case, a company lost in court after putting an employee on leave against his will. The court ruled his condition wasn’t serious enough to qualify for FMLA and the employee was still able to perform his job safely (Cite: Wysong v. Dow Chemical Co.). If you’re in a situation where you don’t need to put the employee on FMLA, make sure you document the fact that leave was offered and denied — that’ll come in handy if the employee later claims he was denied FMLA.5. What happens when an employee comes back from leave and can’t perform his job? There are a few questions you need to answer in that situation:
Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. Please note that all such forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel for compliance with applicable law, and should be modified to suit your organization’s culture, industry, and practices. Neither members nor non-members may reproduce such samples in any other way (e.g., to republish in a book or use for a commercial purpose) without SHRM’s permission. To request permission for specific items, click on the “reuse permissions” button on the page where you find the item. Page Content
Adapted from The SHRM Essential Guide to Employment Law (SHRM, 2018), by Charles H. Fleischer, Esq.
Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. Please note that all such forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel for compliance with applicable law, and should be modified to suit your organization’s culture, industry, and practices. Neither members nor non-members may reproduce such samples in any other way (e.g., to republish in a book or use for a commercial purpose) without SHRM’s permission. To request permission for specific items, click on the “reuse permissions” button on the page where you find the item.
FAQ
What can HR ask about FMLA?
How do I prepare for FMLA?
- Find out as soon as possible if you’ll be able to take leave under the FMLA and research any additional relevant laws in your state.
- Be the first to tell your boss the news — assume that once one person knows, everyone will know.
- Treat maternity leave as an opportunity for growth — for both you and your team.
Can you interview while on FMLA?
Can your boss contact you while on FMLA?
