Human Resources Associate

State of Connecticut•Hartford, CT

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Connecticut, Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Shared Services Center of Excellence has an exciting opportunity for you to join us as a Human Resources Associate for the Workers' Compensation Unit. This role provides operational support for high volume, complex caseloads across multiple agencies. The Human Resources Associate will work within a Workers’ Compensation team responsible for the day-to-day management of employee injury claims. You will adhere to timely and compliant claim handling and be a liaison to the State’s Third-Party Administrator, the injured employee and Agency personnel in the return-to-work process. The successful candidate will be committed to supporting injured employees throughout the claims process, helping them navigate their recovery and return to work in a fair, efficient, and compassionate manner. This Human Resources Associate plays a key role in maintaining statutory compliance, promoting safe and efficient return to work outcomes, engaging with labor and agency partners, and ensuring accurate and consistent execution of Workers’ Compensation operations across the State. DAS is a state agency whose mission is to provide efficient and effective administrative services to state agencies, departments, and other governmental entities. DAS leads procurement, information technology, human resources, and other administrative functions. As a DAS Center of Excellence, the Benefits and Leaves Division has an administrative focus of employee leaves and retirements.

Requirements

Six (6) years of professional experience in human resources management or equal employment opportunity/affirmative action or labor relations management.
College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
A Master's degree in human resources management, labor relations, business administration, public administration or a closely related field or a law degree may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
Knowledge of human resources management; relevant state and federal laws, statutes, regulations, policies and procedures; employment practices related to civil rights, equal employment opportunity, job classification, recruitment and selection, compensation and benefit programs, pay administration, workers compensation; labor relations
Skills interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; conflict resolution skills
Ability to analyze and balance partners need with laws, regulations, policies, procedures and collective bargaining agreements.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing workers’ compensation claims within an HRIS environment.
Experience with OSHA regulations and reporting requirements.
Experience communicating with a third-party administrator and other key stakeholders.
Experience interpreting and applying statutes, regulations, policies, and collective bargaining agreements.
Experience processing employees returning to work and coordinating modified duties.

Responsibilities

Assists in interpreting, administering and ensuring compliance with human resources, employment and equal opportunity laws, regulations, policies and procedures
Communicates with agency human resources business partners and other stakeholders to ensure cooperative relationships
Assists administrative officials in strategic planning to ensure alignment of activities with organizational goals and strategies
Assists in developing materials for recruitment programs
Screens, refers and recommends candidates for employment
Maintains records related to recruitment and selection
Assists in training operations
Processes human resource records and transactions
Prepares and maintains human resource records
Revises job classifications and conducts research in support of new or revised job classifications
Prepares reports, manuals and correspondence
Assists in processing workers' compensation claims
Provides assistance to employees in areas such as leaves (e.g., family, medical, military), and tuition reimbursement
Assists in maintaining human resource information systems and recommending changes to take advantage of technology
Conducts audits of agency transactions to ensure business rules are followed
Participates in the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection
Ensures all records, files and folders are maintained, updated and digitized, where applicable
May serve on human resources project teams involving the conduct of best practice research and the development and implementation of new systems, training initiatives and other projects with statewide impact
May assist in implementing and developing training programs
Performs related duties as required