Employee Relations Specialist

Position Title Employee Relations Specialist Job Summary Under the supervision of the Senior Manager of Employee Relations, this position will address issues related to employee relations, complaints, grievances, claims, and cases. Assist in meeting applicable standards, regulations, and best practices. Conduct review and investigations of alleged student, faculty, staff, and outside third-party misconduct, including but not limited to the preparation of comprehensive reports of investigations, findings, recommendations for appropriate action, and consulting campus administrators to facilitate recommendations and proposed sanctions. Advise supervisors on employee performance management and counseling/corrective actions. Conduct and coordinate training programs related to employee relations and organizational development. Address inquiries from government agencies (e.g. EEOC, EDD, FEHA). Administration and case management of terminations, wage and hour, and other employee services in compliance with regulatory requirements. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Individuals must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to perform the essential functions of the assigned classification, with or without reasonable accommodation(s), using some other combination of skills and abilities. Necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities are as follows: Knowledge of: Human Resources/Employee Relations best practices, compliance with employment laws and regulations. College, department, and/or program organization, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations related to the area of assignment. Record keeping, filing, file sharing, and filing systems methods and techniques. Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams). Skills: Active listening, engaging, and responsive communication. Effective interpersonal skills including interaction with administration, management, faculty, staff, students, and other external contacts. Effective multitasking skills specific to the organization and management of concurrent projects and assigned priorities. Utilizing a wide array of office equipment and machines related to the area of assignment. Planning and organizational skills. Ability to: Independently perform the assigned responsibilities of the position. Interpret, apply, and explain rules, regulations, policies, and procedures related to the area of assignment. Work with multiple and changing priorities related to the area of assignment. Effectively conduct investigations and remain neutral. Compose correspondence and other written materials. Approach complex problems logically and systematically. Plan, organize, and prioritize schedules and workload to meet timelines. Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. Demonstrate initiative and motivation working in a team atmosphere. Work well under pressure. Accomplish goals by working through formal and informal channels with diplomacy and tactfulness. Provide proactive completion and improvement of all office tasks. Utilize computer software programs, applications, platforms, databases, and peripheral equipment related to the area of assignment. Understand and follow verbal and written directions. Understand the scope of authority in making decisions. Demonstrate a commitment to working in an organization that values and promotes humanism. Required Qualifications Experience: Bachelor’s degree with emphasis in Human Resources, or Business Administration, or a related field. Three – five years conducting investigations or handling employee relations matters. Ability to conduct effective presentations. Preferred Qualifications SHRM-CP or PHR credential preferred. Key Responsibilities Develop an investigation plan for each HR complaint and/or grievance; contact involved parties and provide them with information about the investigation process; interview complainants and respondents; identify and interview witnesses; gather and secure relevant documentation; identify other information that would be helpful to the case adjudicator and the appeal officer. Communicate, consult regularly and provide updates to Director of ER and other staff members, as appropriate. Provide detailed, unbiased and comprehensive reports to the Director of ER and the appeal officer; maintain accurate and thorough records and notes of investigatory process that describe evidence and proposed sanctions related to confirmed violations. Guide and counsel supervisors on proper management of employee complaints and grievances that involve inter-personal issues. Present information to educate students, faculty, and staff on the University’s policies and procedures on anti-harassment and discrimination. Train constituents on services available related to prevention and intervention of misconduct. Deliver other training as needed. Assist law enforcement personnel and University security officers in handling reports and complaints of sexual assault and related misconduct. Provide testimony related to matters regarding student, faculty, and staff misconduct to outside agencies. Recommend appropriate changes and updates to the University’s anti-harassment and discrimination policy and procedures, as well as other policies of the Office of Human Resources. Stay abreast of current developments in the field of investigations and changes to applicable regulations (such as Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and Clery Act). Advise departments, faculty and staff on a broad spectrum of employment issues, such as but not limited to leave of absence, workers’ compensation, performance management, wage and hour, and policies & procedures of the Office of Human Resources. Represent WesternU at EDD, EEOC, work comp, and other agency hearings. Assure University compliance with federal, state, and public agency monitoring and reporting requirements including administration of harassment, discrimination, Title IX training and other mandated policies. Administer work environment surveys such as The Chronicle and climate surveys under Title IX. Administer and manage leave of absences, workers’ compensation claims, terminations, exit meetings, and related tasks in coordination with employment, payroll, grants and research, benefits, international programs, and other departments as appropriate, including responding to unemployment claims. Process and maintain records of educational tuition reimbursements and tuition remissions. Process and respond to subpoena for records and employee requests for record review. Other duties as assigned. This position description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. It is intended, however, to be an accurate reflection of those principal job elements essential for making decisions related to job performance, employee development and compensation. As such, the employee may perform other duties and responsibilities as required. Posting Details Work Schedule Regular work hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and may include working evenings, weekends and/or holidays, as needed. Travel may be required for various off-site meetings, trainings, conferences, and/or events in support of the overall objective of the position. Pay Minimum: $70,000.00 Annually Maximum: $75,000.00 Annually Physical Demands While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, and/or stand; move and/or walk about the University, campus, and office sites; speak or hear, both in person and by telephone. Use hands repetitively to perform fine/gross finger dexterity and manipulation; handle, feel, or operate computer and standard office equipment; reach with hands and arms; and occasionally lift and carry up to 10 pounds unassisted and up to 50 pounds with assistance; must frequently sit and/or stand for long periods of time. The employee may be required to bend at the waist, kneel, stoop, crouch, and/or smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus and view a variety of computer screens, printed documents, and instructions. Mental Demands While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve problems; observe and interpret people and situations; learn and apply new information or skills; perform highly detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks; use math/mathematical reasoning; perform highly detailed work under changing priorities and deadlines on multiple concurrent tasks; work with frequent interruptions, and interact with University faculty, staff, management, administrators, students, public, educational institutions, and others encountered the course of work. Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee works in an office environment and is frequently exposed to interruptions from management, faculty, staff, students, and the public in the normal course of work. The employee may be exposed to moderate noise levels depending on the activity of the office or working environment assigned. Work is performed primarily indoors where minimal safety considerations exist. The employee may be assigned a flexible and varying work schedule based on the needs of the campus and/or department including evenings and weekends, as needed. The employee may be exposed to inclement weather conditions such as heat, cold, and humidity depending on the area of assignment when moving about university buildings, offices, and other sites. Equal Opportunity Statement (EEO) It is the policy of Western University to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment as required by law without regard to age, race, color, national origin ancestry, citizenship, ethnicity, creed, religion or religious creed, sex or gender (including gender identity), marital status, sexual orientation, disability (both physical and mental) including HIV and AIDS, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), pregnancy (which includes childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), age, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other applicable protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within WesternU including without limitation, hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoffs, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, and training. WesternU makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merits, and business needs at the time. #J-18808-Ljbffr Western University of Health Sciences