Employee Relations Manager

Sherwin-Williams • Cleveland, OH

5d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a new role created intended to establish a centralized employee relations workflow across the Corporate HR team consisting of 1 SVP of HR, 2 HR Directors, 6 HR Managers and 2 HR Generalists. The Employee Relations Manager is the frontline employee relations expert, responsible for managing day‑to‑day employee relations matters, conducting investigations, and advising employees and managers on workplace concerns, policies, and performance issues. This role ensures issues are handled promptly, consistently, and in alignment with company policy, values, and legal standards, while escalating risk appropriately. The Manager partners closely with HR Generalists, HR Managers, and ER leadership to resolve concerns early, reduce risk, and support a positive employee experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 3–5 years of HR experience with direct employee relations exposure
• Experience conducting workplace investigations
• Strong working knowledge of HR policies, and employee relations practices
• Ability to conduct objective, fair, and thorough investigations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong judgment and discretion when handling sensitive information
• Ability to manage multiple cases simultaneously and meet deadlines
• Detail‑oriented with strong documentation skills
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence without authority
• Strong working knowledge of HR policies, employee relations practices, and employment law fundamentals.
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be legally authorized to work in the country of employment without needing sponsorship for employment work visa status now or in the future

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a multi‑site, hourly and salaried workforce
• ER case management system experience
• Experience partnering with legal or compliance teams
• Basic working knowledge of employment law fundamentals

Responsibilities

• Serve as first point of contact for employee relations concerns, complaints, and inquiries
• Directly manage a high volume of low‑to‑moderate risk ER cases from intake through resolution
• Track, prioritize, and drive timely execution of cases using the ER case management system
• Ensure consistent documentation, follow-up, and closure of all assigned cases
• Escalate high-risk or complex ER matters to appropriate ER Manager and ER Director.
• Conduct fact‑finding investigations, including employee and manager interviews
• Assess credibility, document findings, and summarize outcomes
• Ensure timely resolution of cases in accordance with service standards
• Advise employees and managers on company policies, procedures, and expectations
• Support managers with early intervention on conduct, attendance, and performance issues
• Provide guidance on appropriate corrective actions within defined authority levels
• Ensure fair and consistent application of policy and precedent
• Provide real-time coaching to leaders on employee relations matters and workplace challenges
• Conduct thorough, impartial investigations into employee relations concerns
• Maintain accurate, thorough, and defensible documentation for all ER cases
• Prepare investigation notes, summaries, and recommendations
• Draft disciplinary and corrective action documentation aligned with investigation outcomes
• Ensure records are properly stored in ER case management systems
• Identify when cases meet escalation thresholds and partner with ER Managers accordingly
• Recognize potential legal, compliance, or reputational risks within employee relations cases
• Proactively escalate sensitive or complex matters (e.g., harassment, discrimination, retaliation) promptly
• Partner with HR and ER Managers on case strategy and resolution recommendations
• Support internal audits, compliance reviews, or legal requests as needed
• Partner with HR Generalists and HR Managers to support people‑management decisions
• Contribute to process improvements and standardization of work
• Support training efforts related to ER policies and practices
• Manage all Leave of Absence (LOA) cases for the Corporate Division, ensuring compliance with company policy and applicable laws
• Manage all ADA accommodation cases, including interactive process coordination, documentation, and resolution
• Partner with managers and HR stakeholders to ensure appropriate handling of employee accommodations and return-to-work planning
• Identify potential risks and escalate complex or sensitive cases as needed
• Support Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) compliance efforts, including: Quarterly monitoring and reporting, Annual plan preparation and documentation
• Ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and internal compliance standards
• Partner with Employee Relations Director and Enterprise Employee Relations team to address gaps and mitigate risk
• Analyze exit interview data to identify trends, themes, and organizational insights
• Support ER trend analysis, including case data and recurring workplace issues
• Provide data-driven recommendations to HR leadership to improve employee experience and reduce risk
• Contribute to continuous improvement of ER processes, workflows, and standard operating procedures.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level