Bilingual Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources Specialist, Employee Relations & Compliance

The Human Resources Specialist, Employee Relations & Compliance reports to the Senior Director of Human Resources and plays a vital role in the daily operations of a large, multi-funded nonprofit agency. This position focuses on building and maintaining positive, equitable, and legally compliant employee relationships across the organization, reflecting the agency's core values of Joy, Amor, Esperanza, Equity, Fuerza, Dignity, and Inclusión.

The HR Specialist ERC plays a vital role in fostering a fair, responsive, and inclusive workplace culture at Sonoma CAN. With a primary focus on Spanish-speaking staff and line-level employees, this role supports complex employee relations, owns the management of leave and accommodation processes including Workers Compensation claims, leads workplace safety follow-ups, and ensures compliance with employment laws and internal policies. This role is highly independent, multi-faceted, and requires significant working knowledge in all aspects of California Human Resources.

As a key contributor to the HR team, the Specialist builds trust across the agency by handling sensitive issues with care, facilitating collaborative solutions, and providing steady guidance to both employees and managers. This role reflects Sonoma CAN's values and leadership principles while ensuring that HR policies and practices protect staff, support equity, and uphold legal compliance.

In the future, this position may also share responsibility for supervising and developing an HR Administrative Assistant in collaboration with the HR Specialist: Employee Experience & Development, ensuring aligned priorities, meaningful mentorship, and high standards of support across the department.

This role is primarily onsite at our administrative offices, with occasional work from home (approximately 1 day per week).

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Serves as a trusted HR partner and liaison for staff, with a primary focus on Spanish-speaking employees, offering timely, respectful, and confidential support to address questions, concerns, and feedback.
• Supports positive workplace culture by acting as a bridge between employees and managers to strengthen communication, engagement, and mutual understanding.
• Leads or co-facilitates conversations with management regarding performance concerns, including coaching, progressive discipline, and role reevaluation; identifies and recommends development supports such as EAP, coaching, or additional training.
• Administers and monitors performance improvement plans for entry- to mid-level staff in collaboration with supervisors, ensuring clear expectations, documented progress, and follow-through support.
• Manages layoff, termination, and rehire processes for seasonal and cyclical roles, ensuring alignment with policy, communication with impacted staff, and coordination with program leadership.
• Partner with HR related vendors to organize and schedule employee facing development and information sessions and training.
• Leads or participates in internal investigations and supports workers' compensation eligibility reviews in coordination with the Senior HR Director.
• Manages all aspects of employee leaves of absence including FMLA, CFRA, PFL, PDL, and workers' compensation, evaluating eligibility, coordinating documentation, and maintaining consistent communication with employees and supervisors throughout the process.
• Leads the interactive accommodations process in accordance with ADA and state laws, guiding employees and managers through request, documentation, and implementation steps with care and compliance.
• Supports agency safety efforts by participating in audits, leading follow-ups on workplace accidents, coordinating OSHA log reporting, and serving as a liaison to the workers' compensation claims adjuster and treating physicians to track employee recovery and return-to-work status.
• Collaborates with Senior HR Director to ensure agency-wide compliance with California and federal labor laws; contributes to policy updates and internal HR documentation.
• Maintains an active role in agency HRIS platforms including Paylocity, BHHC, and Heffernan ensuring data accuracy and supporting system utilization across multiple functions.
• Assists with employee recognition initiatives and onboarding resource development.
• Provides support in recruitment activities, including job fair participation, screening candidates, tracking applicant status in Paylocity, providing interview coordination, serves as HR representation in interviews, and sharing candidate notes with hiring managers.
• Designs and facilitates entry-level professional development sessions in both English and Spanish on workplace communication, professionalism, and related topics.
• Responds to employee and agency needs for verification of employment (VOE), EDD claims, and SDI paperwork with accuracy and timeliness.
• Assists with the preparation and implementation of the annual performance review cycle in partnership with department managers.
• Partners with managers to assess training and development needs; supports planning and occasionally facilitates leadership or skill-building workshops aligned with agency values.
• Reviews and signs off on HR forms to ensure documentation is complete, accurate, and in compliance with policy and best practices.
• Maintains secure and confidential personnel records and evaluation files, and generates reports on key HR metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, transfers, and performance reviews.
• Collaborates with vendors, brokers, and internal teams on matters related to benefits, recruitment, and other HR projects.
• Creates and distributes a quarterly internal HR newsletter that includes agency events, professional development resources, and relevant workplace updates in collaboration with department leadership.
• Supports internal pay equity and workforce planning efforts by generating reports that ensure consistency between job titles, work location, and compensation.
• Responds to staff inquiries around policy, pay, and agency resources.
• Maintains consistent and respectful communication with management and supervisory staff.
• Completes timely updates to internal systems and employee files in accordance with agency policies and contract requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between Spanish-speaking staff, and English-speaking administrative staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to support Sonoma CAN's mission, culture, and compliance standards.

Language Access and Bilingual Program Coordination

• Supports language equity policies by overseeing English to Spanish translation of internal HR documents, including email, templates, job descriptions, policies, and other HR related materials.
• Serve as the primary administrator for Sonoma CAN's internal Language Access Plan in collaboration with HR leadership.
• Administer bilingual proficiency and translation assessments to current staff twice annually, and to new staff within the first two weeks of onboarding, as required by the Bilingual Pay Policy.
• Coordinate scheduling, materials, and documentation of test outcomes; ensure accurate and timely communication of results to staff and supervisors.
• Maintain organized records and tracking of bilingual testing, utilization levels, and pay eligibility in alignment with policy and audit standards.
• Support implementation and communication of bilingual, interpreter, and translator pay structures and expectations in partnership with HR leadership and program supervisors.

Requirements

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across all levels of staff.
• Demonstrated cultural competence and the ability to build respectful working relationships across differences in race, culture, socioeconomic background, gender identity, differing abilities, sexual orientation, and lived experience.
• Awareness of structural inequities and their impact on staff, the communities we serve, and our partner organizations, with a commitment to advancing equity
• Skilled in conflict resolution and navigating sensitive or complex interpersonal dynamics with professionalism and empathy.
• Demonstrated ability to support HR functions by working closely with staff to build skills and confidence for mentoring, encouragement, and motivation.
• Emotionally mature, dependable, and discreet when handling confidential or sensitive information.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Drive) and comfort with SaaS platforms.
• Ability to adapt quickly in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and evolving responsibilities.
• Highly resourceful and self-directed; capable of working autonomously while knowing when collaboration or consultation with the Senior HR Director is necessary.
• Strong writing and editing skills, including the ability to draft and revise policies, business correspondence, and procedural documents.
• Ability to interpret and explain laws, policies, and decisions in a clear, friendly, and non-judgmental manner.
• Intermediate level skills with HRIS platforms (e.g., Paylocity, Paycom, ADP, Workday).
• Strong presentation skills; able to present and respond to questions in group and individual settings.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, legal references, technical materials, and employment regulations.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and service to low-income and underrepresented communities.
• Strong general knowledge of California-specific HR policies and employment