Employee Relations Investigator - Human Resources

The Human Resources Department's mission is to support our customers in accomplishing their missions by attracting and retaining a highly skilled and diversified workforce that is compensated and rewarded for its effort in an equitable, safe and responsible work environment.
Our mission is accomplished within existing resources, in an environment of change, with integrity, and in a manner that is consistent with the City's policies, Code of Ethics, merit system principles, and federal and state laws. We are responsible for recruitment and testing, classification and compensation, training, benefits administration, and workforce relations.

The HR Employee Relations Investigator will support the HR Divisional Chief for Employee Relations, EEO and Labor, by managing and responding to workplace concerns through review, documentation and fact-finding. In this integral role, the HR Employee Relations Investigator will be responsible for managing Employee Relations issues and investigations, using data to inform decisions and company initiatives, advising/counseling managers and employees, and helping guide the organization toward a more proactive Employee Relations landscape.
Additionally, the ER Investigator recommends determinations of grievability, interprets and ensures compliance of administrative regulations, personnel rules, and laws such as ADA, FLSA, HIPPA, FMLA, Title VII, sexual harassment, workers' compensation, etc., counsels management and employees on various personnel issues such as disciplinary actions, disability placement, EEO inquiries/charges and grievance process. Keeps abreast on HR related statutory and regulatory requirements which affects HR policies and procedures. Manages the City Shared Leave Program.
Supervision Exercised/ Received

• Exercised: this classification typically does not supervise other employees.
• Received: This classification typically reports to a Human Resources Division Chief or another level of manager.
• Note: Other reporting relationships may apply.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES:

• Documents and manages Employee Relations or workplace concerns in a case management system and initiates the fact-finding process
• Provides strategic support, thought partnership and coaching to all levels of the organization to ensure the management of employee performance with a focus on Employee Relations
• Partners closely with HR Business Partners and the Performance Management team to identify trends in performance issues and an action plan to address them
• Conducts routine data analysis and reporting to identify and escalate key trends in Employee Relations issues to ensure root-cause analyses are taking place and to enable and drive proactive solutions
• Maintains accurate, confidential records regarding all reported cases and fact-finding documentation
• Interprets and applies understanding of relevant policies and practices, employment law and other regulations to provide advice, guidance or clarification for Employee Relations
• Identifies and recommends appropriate process or technology improvements to ensure effective and efficient fact-finding, resolution and communication
• Maintains the highest level of confidentiality and integrity at all times
• Promotes an environment that fosters inclusive relationships and creates unbiased opportunities for contributions through ideas, words and actions
• Ensures that legal and regulatory requirements are met in terms of Employee Relations to minimize exposure to liability for the organization
• Interpret and apply federal and state laws regarding equal access for people with disabilities
• Monitor and ensure the court's compliance with state and federal disability laws
• Monitor and improve the physical, electronic and programmatic access to the court and its services
• Provide guidance to staff regarding issues relating to disabilities and accommodation
• Handles the FMLA leave administration process from the employees' initial notice of the need for leave to the return to work. This includes gathering and completing all required paperwork, determining leave eligibility, designating leave as FMLA-qualifying, requesting medical certification as needed, and accounting for intermittent and reduced schedule leave use.
• Advises managers and employees on the interaction of leave laws with paid time off, workers compensation, and short-term and long-term disability benefits.
• Facilitates other leave requests, which may include accommodation requests under the ADA.
• Preserves confidentiality of employee medical documentation and files.
• Maintains knowledge of all applicable leave and accommodation laws including the FMLA, ADA, and state and local laws
• Manages and resolves complex Employee Relations issues. Conducts effective, thorough, and objective investigations.
• Serve as trusted advisor to State Leadership, providing sound business guidance around human capital issues. Build a reputation as a credible and value-added member of the City of Richmond Human Resources Team demonstrating the highest level of integrity and ethics
• Conducts ongoing training for compliance, development and policy implementation
• Conducts stay interviews and provides monthly reporting to identify trends and areas of concern
• Proactively mitigate current and future legal risk through continuous assessment
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance. Partners with the Legal department as needed/required. Ensures compliance with Federal, State and Local requirements.
• Interprets, recommends and effectively communicates HR practices, policies, procedures and initiatives and makes best practice change recommendations for business alignment purposes

Note: The above description is intended to represent only the key areas of responsibilities; specific position assignments will vary depending on the business needs of the department. The employee may perform other duties of a similar nature or level as required.REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of best practice procedures used to investigate and resolve employee or workplace concerns including best practices as they relate to reducing bias during the investigation process.
• Extensive experience ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations such as ADA, FMLA, etc.
• Sound judgment, high integrity and the ability to handle complex, highly sensitive and confidential information relating to HR.
• Experience conducting fact-finding and tracking/reporting Employee Relations grievances using a case management system.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Flexibility and ability to balance conflicting priorities.
• Works with a high degree of confidentiality, autonomy and accountability for decisions
• Collaborative team player
• Advanced Microsoft Office experience, including virtual team platforms for meetings, shared team documents, and instant messaging communications.
• City of Richmond community awareness and values

QUALIFICATIONS/SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS and LICENSES:
Required:

• 3+ years of progressive experience in one or more of the following fields: Human Resources, Behavioral or Social Science or Organizational Psychology
• Bachelor's degree (equivalency not accepted in place of a required degree) Disciplines Preferred: Human Resources; Business; Public Administration
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (approved by the department) maybe used to meet the minimum experience qualification of this classification.

Required Certifications/Licenses:

• HRCI HR Certification (PHR/SPHR) required or
• SHRM HR Certification (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP)

Preferred:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in one or more of the following fields: Human Resources, Behavioral or Social Science or Organizational Psychology

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly finger, talk, hear, see, and perform repetitive motions; frequently walk; and occasionally stoop, reach, stand, push, pull, lift, grasp, and feel. The working conditions may contain environmental hazards. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

Employment Type: Full-Time