Employee Relations Specialist - Fmla Coordinator

Salary : $63,747.00 - $95,620.00 Annually
Location : Richmond, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 12M00000017
Department: Human Resources
Opening Date: 03/06/2024
Closing Date: 3/22/2024 12:00 AM Eastern
Description
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.
City of Richmond Core Values:Community Centric Service; Unity; Respect; Innovative; Trust; Accountability.
The HR Employee Relations Specialist 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 Specialist 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 Specialist 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.
Duties include but are not limited to
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES:

• Documents and manages Employee Relations or workplace concerns in a case management system and initiates the fact-finding process
• 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
• Maintains the highest level of confidentiality and integrity at all times
• Ensures that legal and regulatory requirements are met in terms of Employee Relations to minimize exposure to liability for the organization
• 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

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.
Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses
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.

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)

* Certification requirements must be met within 12 months of employment.*
Preferred:

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

Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements
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.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
The City of Richmond Values Veterans-We are an Official V3 Certified Company.
With over 4,000 employees, the City of Richmond is an "Employer of Choice" among cities throughout the nation. The City strives to hire and retain employees who bring dedication and talent to the workforce. Offering a competitive, cost effective, and quality benefits package is one element of an "Employer of Choice".
The City offers a full range of benefit programs from initial hire through retirement. Please visit our Web site for details.