HR GENERALIST - PAYROLL AND LEAVE COORDINATOR SERIES

State of Maryland • Howard, WI

76d • $45,595 - $57,716 • Hybrid

About The Position

The main purpose of this position is to perform entry-level and/or advanced level of Personnel Associate for the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) - Howard County Health Department (HCHD). Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Human Resources, the Personnel Associate serves as an HR generalist, supporting the human resources needs of the Howard County Health Department's 270+ State merit and contractual employees. This position performs a wide range of HR functions including timekeeping and payroll, employment services, and health benefits administration. The Personnel Associate provides guidance to management, supervisors, and employees on policies and procedures related to employment issues, leave administration (including FMLA, parental leave, and worker's compensation), and health benefits. Additionally, this role ensures compliance with HR policies and state regulations, maintains accurate records, and supports departmental initiatives such as the Maryland Charity Campaign. The incumbent maintains confidentiality for all HR related activities and discussions.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
• Personnel Associate I: Six months of general clerical or administrative support experience, at least three months must have been paraprofessional personnel experience.
• Personnel Associate II: One year of general clerical or administrative support experience, at least six months must have been paraprofessional personnel experience.
• Personnel Associate III: One year and six months of general clerical or administrative support experience, at least nine months of which must have been paraprofessional personnel experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience administering and tracking Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requests.
• Experience with electronic filing (e.g. data entry, organization, cross-referencing, scanning, copying and retrieval).
• Experience with other medical leave programs such as parental leave, worker's compensation, accident leave, donated leave, or leave bank administration.
• Experience with Timekeeping and/or Payroll specifically in an HR Role.
• Experience with effectively managing time and resources to prioritize tasks, streamline processes, maximize productivity while maintaining quality of standards.
• Experience with using Microsoft Office Products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Experience compiling data from HR databases such as Workday.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates all aspects of the medical and extended leave processes, including FMLA, leave bank, donated leave, parental, and accident leave by advising employees, processing and tracking requests, consulting with State and MDH leave coordinators as needed, and maintaining all required training and documentation.
• Oversees timekeeping and payroll operations by ensuring timesheet accuracy and compliance, processing corrections, resolving employee and supervisor inquiries, completing payroll reports, maintaining related records, and assisting with repayment schedules and HealthStats reporting.
• Maintains accurate personnel, benefits, and training records in Workday and physical files; processes HR transactions, tracks licenses and certifications, coordinates offboarding and equipment return, runs reports, manages records for storage or destruction, and ensures compliance with retention and documentation requirements.
• Conducts bi-weekly leave audits by reviewing documentation, following up on discrepancies, coordinating necessary timesheet changes, and notifying leadership of issues prior to finalization.
• Leads the annual Maryland Charity Campaign, completes employment verifications, assists recruiters, supports special projects, and participates in training, emergency response, and quality improvement initiatives to support HR and department-wide operations.
• Provides backup support for HR functions including processing transactions, maintaining termination files, conducting new employee orientations, and serving as the Agency Health Benefits Coordinator by guiding employees through enrollment, ensuring timely documentation, and staying current on benefit policies and procedures.

Benefits

• STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees