Human Resource Generalist

About the Job

A day in the life:

Primary focus will be to service the existing business, operationally and financially, while maintaining relationships with existing customers and developing new business where possible.

Reporting to the Vice President of Field Human Resources, Northeast, the Human Resources Generalist serves as a trusted partner to field leadership and employees by supporting a broad range of human resources functions, including employee relations, leave administration, compliance, HR operations, and employee lifecycle activities. This role plays a critical part in delivering responsive, high-quality HR support while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, company policies, and HR best practices.

A primary responsibility of this position is independently managing the statutory Leave of Absence (LOA) process for a high-volume field employee population. The Human Resources Generalist will also support employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, policy interpretation, and conflict resolution, while exercising sound judgment, professionalism, and confidentiality.

The ideal candidate is an experienced HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, demonstrates exceptional organizational, analytical, and time management skills, and is committed to delivering outstanding customer service. This position partners closely with Human Resources, Operations, Risk Management, Benefits, Payroll, and Talent Acquisition to foster a positive employee experience and support organizational objectives. In addition, this role serves as part of the New York Branch office team by providing scheduled weekly office switchboard support.

• Independently manage the end-to-end statutory Leave of Absence (LOA) process for a high-volume field employee population, serving as the primary point of contact for employees, managers, Benefits, and third-party administrators while ensuring accurate case management, timely documentation, regulatory compliance, and return-to-work coordination.
• Serve as a trusted Human Resources partner by providing guidance and support to employees and managers on HR policies, procedures, and employee relations matters, exercising sound judgment and maintaining the highest level of confidentiality.
• Support employee relations initiatives by assisting with workplace concerns, conducting or participating in employee investigations, documenting findings, and partnering with HR leadership to facilitate appropriate resolutions while ensuring compliance with company policies and employment laws.
• Process and maintain employee lifecycle transactions, including new hires, transfers, promotions, status changes, and terminations, ensuring timely and accurate data entry within the Company's Human Resources Information System (HRIS).
• Partner with Talent Acquisition and hiring managers to facilitate a seamless onboarding experience by coordinating pre-employment requirements, new hire documentation, and orientation activities.
• Conduct regular audits of employee personnel files, HRIS records, Form I-9s, E-Verify documentation, and employment authorization records to ensure data integrity and compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, as well as company policies, by maintaining accurate records and supporting HR compliance initiatives.
• Analyze HR data, identify trends and discrepancies, recommend corrective actions, and contribute to continuous process improvements that enhance operational efficiency and employee experience.
• Prepare and process employment verifications, support employee training and orientation initiatives, and assist with other routine HR administrative functions as needed.
• Collaborate with the Human Resources team and cross-functional partners on departmental initiatives, special projects, and organizational priorities while supporting the Company's People First culture and Core Values.
• Provide scheduled weekly support for the New York office switchboard, contributing to the collaborative administrative support structure of the New York Branch office.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive Human Resources Generalist experience required, with demonstrated responsibility across multiple HR functions in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience administering statutory Leave of Absence (LOA) programs (FMLA, state leave programs, ADA, and related leave laws) strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, policy interpretation, and conflict resolution, preferred.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish or English/Albanian required.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and HR best practices.
• Proven ability to manage a high-volume workload with exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to prioritize multiple deadlines.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to maintain confidentiality and build effective working relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel required, including experience with pivot tables, formulas, charts, sorting/filtering, and data analysis.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and HRIS systems required.
• Self-motivated, dependable, and committed to providing a high level of employee service while working both independently and collaboratively within a team environment.

About the Company

Harvard Maintenance is the largest and fastest growing family owned provider of high-quality janitorial services in the United States. With over 400M+ sq ft serviced in the United States, Harvard has become a source of invested people that help create spaces where people genuinely want to be. Our combined team of more than 10,000+ skilled and hardworking people helps fulfill the needs of clients across many markets and across varying industries. Offices and openings in the lower 48 states.