HR Generalist

Job Description

Job Description

HR Generalist

Sharing Excess | Full Time Remote from Chicago, IL - Detroit, MI - Philadelphia, PA
People Operations

Sharing Excess is one of the fastest-growing food rescue organizations in America, built on a simple but powerful mission: save food and feed communities. What started as a student startup now operates across the country, distributing 3 million pounds of food every week (100+ million pounds annually) to thousands of community partners nationwide.

Our work is visionary, impactful, and deeply human. We move quickly, think creatively, and operate like a high-growth startup. We’ve partnered with some of the biggest names and brands on the planet (MrBeast, Tony Robbins, Billie Eilish, Dole) to bring awareness to our mission. Now we’re seeking individuals to join our team who can deliver with excellence, raise the bar, and are (above all) passionate about making the world a better place.

The HR Generalist owns HR compliance at Sharing Excess end-to-end, building, implementing, and executing the systems, policies, and processes that keep the organization compliant, organized, and people-centered as we continue to scale nationally. This role exercises significant discretion and independent judgment, setting direction and creating new infrastructure rather than carrying out an established playbook. This role is responsible for ensuring compliance with employment laws and internal policies, maintaining employee records and documentation, supporting audits and investigations, and strengthening HR governance practices across the organization.

You will create structure in a fast-moving environment building documentation, compliance workflows, and employee relations processes largely from the ground up, and ensuring operational consistency across teams and locations. This role requires strong attention to detail, discretion, organization, and the ability to exercise independent judgment on matters of significance while navigating sensitive information with professionalism and care.

• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and workplace regulations across multiple states
• Own Sharing Excess’s state employment footprint: unemployment insurance and withholding registrations, Secretary of State foreign qualification, new hire reporting, and paid leave program accounts in every state where we employ people
• Build and maintain the state-entry playbook so the organization can open employment in a new state predictably and compliantly, and advise leadership on the cost and complexity of employment in prospective states
• Develop and maintain state-specific handbook addenda and policy localizations covering paid sick leave, meal and rest breaks, final pay timing, PTO treatment at separation, expense reimbursement, and pay transparency
• Run leave administration as an integrated program: FMLA eligibility determinations, the ADA interactive process, state paid family and medical leave programs, and coordination with Sharing Excess’s paid family leave
• Manage and maintain employee records, personnel files, I-9 documentation, certifications, and compliance-related documentation
• Administer HR compliance processes related to onboarding, offboarding, leave administration, policy acknowledgements, and training completion
• Lead internal audits, compliance reviews, and reporting requirements while ensuring documentation accuracy and completeness
• Own the development, maintenance, and organization of HR policies, SOPs, and governance documentation
• Monitor and conduct required employee trainings and certifications to ensure organizational compliance
• Set documentation and retention standards for employee relations, investigation, and performance matters, which the HR Generalist conducts
• Conduct regular audits of HRIS data and employee records to maintain accuracy and consistency
• Prepare reports and documentation related to compliance metrics, workforce data, and HR operations
• Coordinate with leadership and department managers to ensure policies and practices are consistently applied across teams
• Support risk mitigation efforts by identifying process gaps and recommending operational improvements
• Own the workers’ compensation program and OSHA recordkeeping: per-state policy placement with our broker, state fund enrollment where private coverage is not permitted, class code accuracy, claims oversight, and 300/300A logs
• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information with discretion and professionalism
• Stay informed on evolving employment laws and HR compliance best practices
• Support DOT and FMCSA driver compliance in partnership with Safety/Fleet (who owns primary responsibility for the program): assist with driver qualification files, CDL and medical certificate currency, the drug and alcohol testing program, random testing pool administration, and Clearinghouse queries
• Build and run the annual compliance calendar and own statutory reporting: EEO-1, OSHA, ACA, and WARN readiness including state mini-WARN thresholds that trigger below the federal level

• At least five years in HR compliance, people operations, or employment risk, including direct ownership of multistate compliance for a distributed workforce
• Strong understanding of employment law, HR compliance practices, and employee documentation standards
• Hands-on experience registering an employer in multiple states, having personally opened unemployment insurance and withholding accounts rather than only coordinating with a vendor who did
• Experience building compliance frameworks, SOPs, and calendars from scratch in an environment that did not have them
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
• Experience working with HRIS systems and digital employee record management
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to create and maintain clear documentation and policies
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• High emotional intelligence and professionalism when handling confidential or sensitive matters
• Strong problem-solving skills and a process-oriented mindset
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and/or Google Workspace

• Experience supporting multi-state HR compliance operations
• SHRM-CP, PHR, or other HR certification
• Experience with nonprofit organizations, startup environments, or rapidly scaling teams
• Familiarity with OSHA, FMLA, ADA, wage and hour laws, and workplace investigations
• Experience creating SOPs, governance frameworks, or audit processes
• Experience using data tools and AI (eg. Excel, BI, Claude)
• Experience supporting DEI-focused workplace practices and equitable policy implementation

• You are deeply organized and proactive. You create systems that help teams operate smoothly and compliantly without needing constant oversight.
• You communicate clearly and thoughtfully. You know how to navigate sensitive conversations with professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment.
• You thrive in environments that move quickly and evolve often. You can adapt to changing priorities while still maintaining accuracy and consistency.
• You care about operational excellence. You notice details others miss and take pride in creating structure that supports people and mission-driven work.
• You are trustworthy and discreet. People feel confident bringing you sensitive information because you handle it with integrity and care.
• You are solutions-oriented and collaborative. You work well across departments and help improve processes that strengthen the organization as a whole.

$65,000-$80,000

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Fully Covered Health Benefits
  including comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance with base plan’s premiums 100% covered by the company.
• 401(k) with Company Match once eligible
• Flexible Work-From-Home Schedule