Pension Application Processor

Job Listing Title

Pension Application Processor - UFCW & Employers Trust, Benefits Administration, CONCORD CA

Job Listing:

Established in 1957, UFCW and Employers Trust, LLC, also known as the Trust Fund Office, is one of the top 500 largest retirement funds (managing over $4.2 billion in assets) in the USA. We administer health plans and pension benefits for over 230,000 participants at 116 employers throughout Northern California and Hawaii. We serve the grocery food market and retail pharmacy industry consisting of essential workers from employers like Safeway, Save Mart, and Raley’s. The Trust Fund Office administers several multiemployer plans; an employee benefit plan maintained under multiple collective bargaining agreements. Our “Taft Hartley” plans are governed by strong Boards of Directors consisting of Union and Employer industry leaders (as Trustees) with a fiduciary focus and care for our Membership and their families. Our mission is to provide exceptional benefit administration to those we serve: our Members, Dependents, Local Unions, Employers, and Service Providers.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN AN IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Strong analytical skills
• Willingness to learn
• Having the ability to prioritize tasks
• Embraces teamwork

WE OFFER

1. $30.96 with scheduled yearly increases
2. Full benefits package (medical: Kaiser or Blue Shield, dental, vision, life insurance, death benefit, employee member assistance program) with no premiums for employees and low premiums for dependents
3. Defined Benefit Pension Plan
4. 401(k) match and individual consulting with pension consultant
5. Generous Paid Time Off (starting at 2.6 weeks up to 5.6 weeks) and Sick Time
6. Generous holidays (11.5 paid days per year)
7. On-site free gym in Concord
8. Complimentary coffee service everyday
9. Our Concord location includes free parking, and is conveniently located in the central east bay, beside the I-680 freeway and accessible to BART. The adjacent Veranda Shopping Center (www.shoptheveranda.com) is within walking distance and has a variety of restaurants, retail shopping, and events.

OUR CULTURE

1. Our mission to provide exceptional benefit administration for essential workers is what drives us. What we do matters and touches the lives of over 228,000 participants who work for 116 entities.
2. We have been in business since 1957 and are expanding. Come grow with us!
3. Average employee tenure of 10 years
4. Culture of recognition
5. Variety of paths for career advancement
6. Exciting events
7. An amazing team of professionals to collaborate with and learn from!

JOB SUMMARY

The Pension Analyst will need to develop a thorough understanding of the Plans and their rules and regulations and must be guided by them in fulfilling the essential duties and responsibilities as described below. A Structured Training Program is used to help the Pension Analyst learn quickly. The Pension Analyst performs technical and administrative duties associated with the processing and verification of members’ pension inquiries and applications applying the rules and regulations of the Plans. Researches issues and communicates with members, families, union representatives, other UFCW departments and financial institutions.

Candidates who have been successful in this role: Experience in benefits, accounting or finance or from the banking industry. Pension experience is not required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Performs various duties and responsibilities of Pension Member Service Representative, Pension Member Service Assistant, Pension Assistant and Pension Assistant - Lead.
• Reviews, analyzes and verifies pension inquiries.
• Processes retirement applications and verifying accuracy of information by developing and documenting a written chronological order of events in a members work history by requesting, researching, investigating and analyzing pension data.
• Determines benefit eligibility, Retiree Health and Welfare eligibility, evaluate and determine retirement types’ member qualifies for and calculate pension benefits amount under all Trust Fund plans.
• Reviews and processes re-employment restrictions, rule of 85, extended death benefits and applications, surviving spouse, dissolution information, QDRO’s, divorce decrees, inter-plan reciprocity, external reciprocity, Medicare reimbursement, disability applications and updates members records accordingly.
• Prepares and writes appeals based upon Pension Plan rules.
• Performs and/or verifies required calculation of: vesting credit, plan service credit, account balance, service breaks, and other issues.
• Initiates and prepares correspondence to members, beneficiaries, employers and others regarding general account information, pension history, monthly retirement benefits and income tax reporting.
• Performs data entry and data correction tasks to update and correct member information. Update pension data in Pension information systems.
• Processes weekly retro balancing and month end balance to reconcile retroactive and monthly pension benefit distributions under each plan. Prepare reports in support of disbursement totals.
• Responds to inquiries from members, beneficiaries and employers regarding pension benefits.
• Assists in training and verifying work of other Pension Analysts.
• Assists with special projects.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Extensive communication skills and knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation and simple mathematical functions like percentages, ratios, etc.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Excel and Word or equivalence.
• High school diploma.
• 2 years of related work experience.
• 10 Key and keyboarding experience
• Knowledge of Defined Benefit and Defined Contributions Plans a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms.

The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

This position is subject to a pre-employment negative drug screen and satisfactory completion of a background check and reference checks.