Job Summary
$90,470 - $142,537 / year, DOQ + Full-Time County Benefits
The Employee Relations and Compliance Manager provides leadership and oversight for employee relations, workplace investigations, employee conduct, corrective and disciplinary processes, grievance administration, leave administration, workplace accommodations, unemployment claims, employment-related policy administration, and Human Resources (HR) compliance activities. The Employee Relations and Compliance Manager promotes consistent application of personnel policies and employment practices and supports compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment requirements. The position leads the administration of employee leave programs, including Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave and other applicable employer-provided leave as well as coordinates the interactive process and workplace accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Core Responsibilities
Employee Relations:
- Provides leadership and guidance on employee relations matters, including employee conduct, workplace concerns, policy violations, and other employment-related matters.
- Evaluates employee relations matters and recommends appropriate courses of action based on policies, procedures, and the circumstances of the matter.
- Identifies recurring employee relations issues and recommend organizational, policy, training, or management interventions when appropriate.
- Provides guidance regarding documentation associated with performance, conduct, corrective action, and other employee relations matters.
Workplace Investigations and Disciplinary Actions:
- Conducts workplace investigations involving allegations such as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misconduct, policy violations, workplace behavior, and other employee complaints.
- Develops investigation plans, conducts interviews, reviews documentation and other relevant information, and maintains appropriate investigation records.
- Evaluates information obtained during investigations and prepares findings or reports consistent with procedures.
- Coordinates with legal counsel or other appropriate officials on complex, sensitive, or legally significant investigations when necessary.
- Advises managers and supervisors regarding corrective and disciplinary actions in accordance with applicable personnel policies and procedures.
- Reviews proposed disciplinary actions for consistency, appropriate documentation, and alignment with established organizational practices.
Grievances and Complaints:
- Administers employee grievance and complaint processes based on established policies and procedures.
- Provides employees and managers with information regarding applicable grievance procedures and procedural requirements.
- Coordinates grievance meetings, hearings, responses, documentation, and related administrative requirements as assigned.
- Tracks employee relations cases and grievance activity to identify patterns, risks, and opportunities for organizational improvement.
Leave Management:
- Leads the administration of employee leave programs in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements and organizational policies.
- Oversees administration of FMLA leave, including eligibility determinations, required notices, certification processes, designation, tracking, and return-to-work processes.
- Coordinates administration of other organizational leave programs, which may include paid parental leave, military leave, bereavement leave, administrative leave, leave without pay, and other authorized leave programs.
- Monitors leave cases to support timely administration and appropriate communication with employees and departments.
- Maintains required leave documentation and records in accordance with applicable requirements.
ADA Administration and Unemployment Claims Administration:
- Leads administration of the organization’s workplace accommodation process under the ADA and other applicable requirements.
- Receives and evaluates employee accommodation requests and facilitates the interactive process with employees and management.
- Coordinates implementation of approved workplace accommodations.
- Oversees the organization’s administration of unemployment compensation claims.
- Reviews unemployment claims and gathers relevant employment, separation, disciplinary, attendance, and wage information needed to respond.
- Maintains unemployment claim records and monitors claim outcomes.
- Provides guidance and training to managers and HR staff regarding documentation that may become relevant to unemployment proceedings.
Policy Development and Administration:
- Leads the development, review, revision, and implementation of HR policies, procedures, guidelines, and administrative practices.
- Researches applicable employment requirements and recommends HR practices when developing or revising policies.
- Evaluates policies for consistency, clarity, operational effectiveness, and compliance.
- Provides interpretation and guidance regarding personnel policies and procedures.
- Coordinates policy changes with HR leadership, legal counsel, County/City administration, and other stakeholders as appropriate.
Management Consultation and Training:
- Serves as a subject-matter resource to managers and supervisors regarding employee relations, workplace conduct, performance management, documentation, investigations, and employment policies.
- Coaches managers on addressing employee issues appropriately and in a timely manner.
- Develops and delivers training for supervisors and managers on employee relations and compliance topics.
Leadership and Program Management:
- Provides leadership for assigned employee relations and compliance programs.
- May supervise HR professionals responsible for employee relations, investigations, compliance, policy administration, or related functions.
- Establishes work priorities and monitors quality and timeliness of assigned work.
- Provides coaching, technical guidance, and professional development to assigned staff.
- Develops and maintains procedures, tools, templates, and resources supporting consistent employee relations practices.
- Participates in broader HR initiatives and organizational projects as assigned.
Performs other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Labor Relation or related field and seven years of relevant experience.
- Two years of supervisor and team development experience.
- Expert knowledge of employee relations and workplace investigations principles and practices.
- Strong knowledge of employment laws, FMLA requirements, leave administration, ADA employment requirements, and unemployment claims administration.
- Maintains confidentiality of sensitive employee relations information consistent with applicable law, policy, and legitimate business requirements.
- Ability to conduct fair, thorough, and appropriately documented workplace investigations.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating cases involving overlap of ADA, FMLA, and workers’ compensation.
- Communicate effectively with employees, supervisors, department directors, and executive teams.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
- Customer-service mindset with the ability to work with employees at all levels.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Accepting applications until position is filled. Cover letters and resumes may also be attached, but a fully completed application is required for your application to be considered.
James City County is dedicated to building a diverse workforce and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations. If you need assistance with completing the employment application, please contact the HR Department at 757-253-6680 or email [email protected].
It is the policy of James City County to obtain the best-qualified applicants available for each vacancy, without regard to sex, race, color, religion, creed, national origin, political affiliation, age, disability, gender identity or other non-merit, or non-job-related factors. James City County will take measures to emphasize the recruitment of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities and older persons. James City County will also take into consideration an individual’s status as a favorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States provided that such veteran meets all of the knowledge, skills and eligibility requirements for the available position. James City County will make all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotions, reassignments, training and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination.
