HR Generalist - Employee Relations and Investigation

Overview

COMPANY SUMMARY: The John Stewart Company is a full-service housing management, development and consulting organization that began in 1978 with a commitment to providing high quality service in the affordable housing sector. We work to enrich the lives of our residents and employees, while delivering our services cost‐effectively, efficiently and with the highest levels of professionalism, compassion, integrity and respect.

 

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:

The HR Generalist - Employee Relations and Investigation will serve as JSCo’s primary responder to serious employee complaints and legal claims.  General duties will include reviewing, investigating and responding to serious personnel complaints made directly to them or as assigned by the Director of HR/Payroll and managing other employee compliance issues.  More specifically, they will conduct personnel investigations, develop recommended actions and write investigation reports; facilitate interactive processes (IP) discussions and reasonable accommodation (RA) requests and make related recommendations; manage EEOC and DFEH claims and make recommendations regarding financials settlements; support the legal defense team by helping gather and analyze data, conduct discovery and obtain witness statements; participate in devising legal defense strategy; serve as the company’s expert on employee investigations, IP’s, and compliance with EEOC and DFEH regulations; and provide internal employee training on related areas of expertise.

 

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

 

 

Responsibilities

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

• Effective intake and review of allegations; conducting, documenting and reporting outcomes of personnel investigations; creating and maintaining files
• Properly conduct and document IPs and RA requests
• Provide a strong management of EEOC and DFEH claims and making recommendations for settlements as necessary
• Superior support for legal defense of labor and related claims
• Attend trainings relevant to primary job functions and serve as the company’s expert on those subjects
• Provide training to management staff on how to handle RA requests, IPs and related tasks
• Work effectively with HR staff in the conduct of their work
• Manage Special Projects as assigned

 

 

PRIMARY JOB FUNCTIONS

Investigations

• Investigate highly sensitive employment claims, including: conduct complainant and witness interviews; analyzing data from various internal systems; develop factual findings; proposing remedial or disciplinary action based on investigation findings; drafting investigation report; production and proper storage of completed investigation documentation
• Independently manage assigned casework, bringing investigations to timely, accurate and definitive closure  
• Collect and analyze employee statements and evidence
• Analyze aggregate casework data to identify issue trends and opportunities for proactive issue mitigation
• Analyze casework trends and produce strategic recommendations to the business to proactively address systemic issues
• Partner with HR, COO and legal counsel to engage in continuous improvement of communication practices and policies
• Partner with HR, COO and legal in analysis and revision of HR programs, policies, and practices to help sustain a positive work environment  
• Consult and collaborate with Corporate ER teams, Legal, and 3rd Party Vendors on complex employee investigations

 

Interactive Process and Reasonable Accomodations

• Conduct IPs and evaluate RA requests and provide assistance to other JSCo staff conducting employee IPs and receiving RA requests
• Consistently, accurately and thoroughly document IPs and RA request outcomes with the employee
• Provide written and verbal updates and reports to Director of HR/Payroll, COO and Legal as necessary
• Make recommendations in response to IP and RA requests and claims to Director of HR/Payroll, COO and Legal as necessary

 

EEOC and DFEH Defense

• Manage EEOC and DFEH defense including:

• Investigate claims
• Work with legal defense team to develop claim response strategy
• Filing responses with EEOC and DFEH
• Participate in EEOC and DFEH hearings
• Recommend settlement terms
• Manage settlement documentation

 

Support Legal Defense

• Manage support of legal defense of labor claims including:

• Investigate claims as assigned
• Working with legal defense t