HR Employee Relations and Leaves Support Specialist

Employee Relations Activities :

Maintains an understanding of the legal and business risks involved in all employee relations issues, including investigations, inquiries, and complaints.

Records and produces notes based on this understanding, considering all applicable employment laws, regulations, and guidelines to ensure compliance and prevent liability.

• Creates, organizes, and maintains employee relations files and records, including employee relations logs and employee rehire status records, and completes assessments to identify employee relations issues independently and upon request.
• Reviews and evaluates work performance issues both independently and in collaboration with management and Employee Relations Specialist, including editing and producing Employee Improvement Plan documents.
• Recognizes associated business risks and identifies preventive actions along with viable recommendations that will ensure compliance with employment laws and maintain consistency, fairness, and a non-discriminatory company environment.
• Understands the importance of the Employee Improvement Plan, which may result in employee terminations, and must therefore be executed properly to avoid high-risk impacts to the organization.

Tracks the Employee Improvement Process from implementation through completion, monitoring for potential problems and escalating issues to the Employee Relations Specialist or Manager as necessary.

Identifies and evaluates unpredictable and sometimes complex employee relations issues, including employee grievances and management concerns regarding employee performance and conduct.

Performs necessary follow-up, involving verbal and written communication with all levels of staff and management.

Researches, reviews, and responds to employee relations and unemployment insurance inquiries.

Leave of Absence (LOA) and Accommodation Activities :

Manages the administrative aspects of leave and accommodation cases in accordance with the applicable federal and state employment laws (e.

g., FMLA, ADA, USERRA, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Workers' Compensation etc.). Includes but not limited to creation and maintenance of case files, track leave and accommodation paperwork, ensure updated information and documentation, and appropriate leave codes are applied in KRONOS.

Handle corrections and resolve non-routine adjustments as needed.

• Builds business relationships with employees and supervisors and maintains appropriate contact with employee and department management to educate, provide updates, guidance, and consultative advice to effectively manage administrative functions of leave and accommodation cases.
• Ensure consistent application of department's personal leave of absence policies and aligns HR services to department's business needs.
• Assists the Leave Specialist with contacting the provider to obtain further information or clarification on employee leave and accommodation cases.
• In collaboration with the Benefits Unit, educates employees about the employee benefits impacted by the leave of absence including but not limited to Personal Day accrual & Temporary Disability Insurance usage, Health Insurance premiums, and annual mandatory leave balances as well as the appropriate programs / benefits available including but not limited to Long Term Disability and Personal Days Sharing and administers benefits as needed.
• Assists with research and recommendations for viable solutions for leave and accommodation issues as well as the development and implementation of procedural changes and document new procedures, track process and workflow changes.

Attendance Management :

• Lead the creation and updates to the Department's Attendance and Punctuality guidelines on an annual basis.
• Provide analysis of policies as it relates to organizational consistency and business needs.
• Manage department's attendance guidelines and ensure the appropriate disciplinary action is applied consistently, timely and accurately.
• Addresses any attendance related questions and anticipate their needs and concerns.
• Support management and employees with education related to their department's Attendance and Punctuality guidelines.
• Responsible for auditing and managing and configuring the Attendance system.

Other Duties / Functions :

Performs all other miscellaneous responsibilities and duties as assigned or directed.

LI-Hybrid