Senior Employee Relations Consultant

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

Location: We support US flexible working arrangements in the contiguous 48 states.   

At Sun Life, we look for optimistic people who want to make life brighter for our Clients. We understand the value of diverse cultures, perspectives, and identities, and want you to bring your full and authentic self to work. Every day, you’ll be empowered and challenged by working with dynamic colleagues to find new and innovative ways to make Sun Life the best benefits company in America.  

The opportunity: 

Employee Relations is a centralized team of trusted advisors that provide support to People Leaders, Employees and Human Resources Business Partners (HRBPs), on a wide range of complex employee relations issues, as well as contributing to the support of designated HR practices across the organization.  The Senior (Sr.) Employee Relations Consultant (ERC) works in partnership with Human Resources and business leaders, as required, in addressing a variety of individual employment-related matters, including performance and behavioral issues, harassment and discrimination complaints, accommodation requests, status changes, termination of employment.  The Sr. ER Consultant also partners with other members of the broader Human Resources and related functions to deliver timely solutions that support the business and ensure employees are treated fairly and in accordance with our practices and policies.

How you will contribute: 

Performance Management:

• Provide timely, creative and relevant ER advice, guidance and recommendations to influence and support people leaders, HRBP’s, employees and other key stakeholders in your assigned portfolio

• Appropriately balance the needs of the business and the employee while mitigating risk and ensure compliance with employment legislation

• Review, finalize and provide guidance to people leaders on written documentation, including but not limited to, performance plans, warnings, memo’s, documented discussion, etc.…to ensure clarity and precision.  All documentation must be well written and include key information in a clear, concise and professional manner

• Use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to organize, synthesize, and analyze varied and complex information, problems, and data to make recommendations guided by policies, practices, procedures and business need

• Support leaders during difficult discussions, including feedback, performance plans, warnings, etc...

• Ensure each case is tracked and documented accurately and appropriately, with all relevant attachments in the case management system and within set timeframe of resolution

• Have a good understanding of compliance legislation to support leaders with other topics such as, absence management, accommodations, employment and human rights legislation

• Develop effective partnerships with managers/employees, HRBPs, Legal, Compliance and other key stakeholders to ensure effective resolution through collaboration for effective outcomes on all matters

Investigations:

• May need to conduct internal investigations as needed in a timely manner applying appropriate investigation process, including interviewing techniques, analyzing facts, applying relevant laws, policies and best practice to reach conclusions

• Recommend and influence actions based on investigation conclusions and maintain required documentation, investigative notes and final reports, supporting docu