Benefits Administration is the operational management of employee benefit programs including health insurance, retirement plans, wellness initiatives, and leave policies. It requires mastery of regulations (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, state laws), vendor negotiation, enrollment system administration, compliance reporting, and employee communication. Benefits administrators act as bridges between company leadership, insurers, and employees. - Regulatory Risk: Mistakes expose companies to ERISA lawsuits, ACA penalties ($2K-3K per employee), and IRS audits