Joe Kolakowski

About Joe Kolakowski

I am a hands-on employee benefits, human resources and payroll professional with a wealth of knowledge and experience in self-funded healthcare/prescription drug plans, dental/vision plans, benefit plan strategy and design and defined contribution pension plans. My vision is to optimize employee benefits and minimize employer benefit costs. Committed to life-long professional learning: I earned 2 Senior HR Certifications, 34 professional designations, 2 academic achievements and an insurance license. My daily mission is to provide excellent customer service and share my knowledge to all employees, quickly responding to their questions and resolving their problems. My greatest satisfaction is to build strong teams and increase their skills through interactive training and on-the-job experience.Expertise Areas: Self-Funded Healthcare, Prescription Drug, Dental Plans, Fully-Insured Life and Disability Payroll Processing, Payroll Administration, Payroll Management Defined Contribution Retirement Plans: 401k, 403b and 457 FMLA Administration and Workers\' Compensation Management Strategic Benefit Plan Design and Benefit Plan Administration Physical and Financial Wellness Programs Employee Benefits Orientation and Open Enrollment Employee Customer Service for Benefits and Claim Issues Team Creation, Building, Transformation and Performance Optimization Microsoft Office and Human Resources Information Systems

Experience

1. Payroll and Benefits Specialist

   Science History Institute

   Oct 2019 — Present · Philadelphia, PA, US

   The Science History Institute is a multifaceted nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve and celebrate our scientific and technological culture and to make it accessible for investigation and knowledge creation. Administer and manage all group benefits including health savings accounts for the high deductible healthcare plan, qualified transportation accounts, the biweekly payroll, unemployment compensation claims and leave administration for The Institute. Utilize ADP Workforce Now as the payroll and human resource information system, Make additions, changes and deletions to employee demographics and employee payroll deductions. Maintain the employer ADP website to provide employee access to current payroll, group benefits and leave administration forms and policies. Employ carrier web portals to administer employee benefits and Ascensus to manage the 403b plan. Manage Concur for employee expense reimbursement payments. Provide top notch customer service to all employees of The Institute regarding payroll, group benefits and leave administration questions and problems. Work on a variety of human resources projects including an update on the employee handbook, annual 403b plan audits and annual financial statement audits. Provided full leadership on group benefits renewal and open enrollment. Reduced initial renewal in 2020 from a 7% premium increase to a 4% premium increase, in 2021 from 13% to 6%, in 2022 from 10% to 5%, and in 2023 from 10.5% to 4.6% for a fully insured plan. Analyzed lender data requests and generated the extensive ad hoc reporting that enabled the organization to apply for and receive a CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program loan. Report to the Director of Human Resources. Work closely with the Controller and the Vice President of Finance. Program and produce a variety of custom one-time use reports.

Education

• The Wharton School

  Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS)

  2000

• America's Health Insurance Plans, Washington DC

  MHP, HIA, DHP, EHBA, LTCP and APP Designations

  2005 — 2011

• Temple University College of Liberal Arts

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), History

  1977 — 1982

• Villanova University

  Recognition of Academic Achievement, Certification in Human Resources

  2004

• World at Work Society of Certified Professionals, Scottsdale AZ

  CCP, GRP and CBP Designations

  2013 — 2014

• Insurance Society of Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA

  WCCC Designation

  2014

• The Institutes, Malvern PA

  CPCU, API, AIS, AAI, AAI-M, AIC, AIC-M, ARM, ARM-P and AINS Designations

  2010 — 2014

• The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research, Austin TX

  CISR, CSRM and CISR Elite Designations

  2010 — 2016

• College for Financial Planning

  CRPC, CRPS and CMFC Designations

  2015 — 2016

• The Wharton School

  Recognition of Academic Achievement, Personal Financial Planning

  2002

• The American College of Financial Services

  ChFC, CLU, RHU and REBC Designations

  2004 — 2005

• The National Underwriter Company, Erlanger KY

  GBDS, SBCS, CLCS and PLCS Designations

  2013 — 2016

Skills

• Compensation & Benefits
• Contract Negotiation
• Disability Insurance
• Executive Pay
• Commercial Insurance
• Job Evaluation
• Group Benefits
• Group Health
• Long-Term Care
• Deferred Compensation
• Fixed Annuities
• Qualified Retirement Plans
• Compensation Structures
• Total Reward Statements
• Health Insurance
• Benefits Strategy
• Universal Life
• Claim
• Management
• Property & Casualty Insurance
• Compensation & Benefits Programs
• Employee Wellness Programs
• Total Rewards Strategies
• Cobra
• Leadership
• 457 Plans
• Prescription Drugs
• Human Resources
• Retirement Planning
• Dental Insurance
• 401k
• Risk Management
• Total Rewards
• Voluntary Employee Benefits
• Whole Life
• Benefits Communication
• Benefits Administration
• Pension Administration
• Incentive Programs
• Insurance