HR (Human Resources) Specialist

MSR-FSR•Santa Clara, CA

About The Position

The HR Specialist provides general human resources support to employees and managers, with required experience supporting California and knowledge of California employment laws. The role serves as a liaison between employees and management, advises on employee relations, workplace concerns, policies, compensation, performance, and development, and supports recruiting-related onboarding and employee transitions. It also coordinates workers’ compensation matters, conducts investigations, consults with legal counsel when needed, and meets employees at the MSR location and customer sites as needed. The position supports performance management by advising managers, addressing performance issues, helping develop and implement performance processes, and supporting timely completion of appraisals. It provides and tracks required training, maintains HR metrics and accurate HRIS records, handles HRIS and payroll data entry related to onboarding, and manages offboarding, including exit interviews, paperwork, termination forms, and communications about final pay and benefits. The HR Specialist supports benefits review and employee benefits questions, ensures compliance with state and federal employment laws, participates in government audits with the internal compliance team, and reviews or proposes updates to policies and procedures. The role requires strong communication, analytical, organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, and the ability to work with employees and leaders at all levels while managing multiple tasks and deadlines.

Requirements

Experience supporting California and knowledge of California laws.
Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
Ability to work with employees and leaders at all levels of the organization.
Ability to prioritize work, self-manage projects, handle multiple tasks, and meet strict deadlines.
Strong command of Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams, and Outlook, as well as SharePoint and Paycor HR management systems.
Strong analytical and conceptual thinking skills, including the ability to analyze data.
Human resources experience with familiarity and experience in associate relations, associate communications, and labor laws.
Bachelor’s degree in human resource management, business, organizational management, or a comparable discipline.
Minimum of 3–5 years of functional experience.
Knowledge of federal and state employment laws and investigation skills.
HR technical knowledge in EEO, AA, FMLA, ADA, unemployment, and workers’ compensation.
Ability to make significant contributions to processes and systems.
Ability to meet the physical demands described: continually standing, using hand and finger dexterity, walking up to two miles per day, talking or hearing, and performing repetitive tasks; frequently sitting; and occasionally climbing, balancing, bending, stooping, kneeling, crawling, and working near moving mechanical parts or around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals.
Ability to wear personal protective equipment, including protective eyewear and a hard hat in certain building areas.

Responsibilities

Provide general HR support and respond to employee and manager questions or concerns.
Communicate and interpret HR policies and procedures and serve as a liaison between employees and management.
Counsel employees and managers on maintaining a productive, positive work environment, including development planning and coaching.
Advise managers on salary offers and total compensation increases.
Coordinate workers’ compensation matters, including modified duty, early return to work, ADA, and litigation requests.
Support new-hire onboarding and transfers, liaising between hiring managers and the recruiting team.
Conduct employee investigations as needed and ensure timely, responsible resolutions.
Consult with legal counsel as needed.
Meet with employees at the MSR location and customer sites as needed.
Advise management on employee productivity and resolve performance issues through appropriate corrective actions, including coaching, warnings, and performance improvement plans.
Assist with developing and implementing performance management systems and processes.
Support supervisors with performance appraisals and ensure evaluations are completed on time.
Provide and track required training, including new employee and new manager orientation, harassment awareness, and leadership and management courses.
Maintain accurate HR metrics and reports.
Enter associate position and rate changes into the HRIS and ensure associate data integrity.
Support onboarding HRIS and payroll data entry and communicate with employees throughout onboarding.
Manage associate offboarding for resignations, terminations, and retirements.
Schedule exit interviews and prepare documentation for voluntary separations.
Process offboarding paperwork and employment termination forms accurately, and communicate final pay, benefits, and relevant policies or procedures to departing associates.
Support the annual benefits review and participate in related decision-making.
Direct employees to appropriate benefits support and answer general benefits questions.
Ensure compliance with state and federal HR laws and regulations.
Partner with the internal compliance team on audits conducted by state or federal agencies.
Monitor policies and procedures and propose or draft updates as needed.