Employee Relations Specialist - Agency Admin

Enjoy making a difference? Join the team at FREE, enriching the lives of others, one individual at a time.

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) benefits and proudly supports more than 4,000 individuals with intellectual / developmental disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury. It is the mission of FREE to support people of all abilities reach their full potential and thrive in their communities. FREE provides a diverse array of supports and services including: housing; recovery services; transition to work; employment; day, community and family services; respite; crisis services; education and after school support; specialty health services; and advocacy.

Job Title: Employee Relations Specialist
Department: Human Resources
Location: Old Bethpage, NY
Reports To: Employee Relations Business Partner
FLSA Status: Exempt
Pay Range: $75,000

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY
Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) benefits and proudly supports more than 4,000 individuals with intellectual / developmental disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury. It is the mission of FREE to support people of all abilities reach their full potential and thrive in their communities. FREE provides a diverse array of supports and services including: housing; recovery services; transition to work; employment; day, community and family services; respite; crisis services; education and after school support; specialty health services; and advocacy.
POSITION SUMMARY
Working in collaboration with the Employee Relations Business Partner and Senior Vice President of Human Resources, this position serves as resource for employees on employee relations matters. The Employment Relations Specialist will co-lead employee engagement through varied initiatives and mentoring.
DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Essential Job Functions

• Provide guidance and training to supervisors on employee relations matters.
• Provide support with mentorship in conjunction with the Employee Relations Business Partner
• Assists with sexual harassment and discrimination complaints in conjunction with the Employee Relations Business Partner.
• Assist employees with raising concerns through the job-related problem-solving process.
• Act as subject matter expert on FREE’s HR policies and procedures and FREE’s Handbook.
• Assist in the development, revision, and implementation of HR policies and procedures.
• Review written documentation to ensure accurate and consistent application of FREE's policies and procedures.
• Facilitate at new hire orientation and deliver employee training related to employee relations and HR policies.
• Provide coaching to new managers in leadership skills during their 120-day orientation.
• Work collaboratively with HR leadership on events and initiatives that promote employee engagement.
• Ensure the timely and accurate entry of data into HR electronic folders and other systems.
• Provide regular administrative reports on human resources related data for internal and external sources.
• Participate in department meetings and other HR projects/activities/duties as assigned.
• Ensures that all required documentation (paper and electronic) is completed /processed appropriately, in a timely manner, and meets quality and compliance thresholds.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Responsibilities of All FREE Employees

• Always communicates in a respectful manner with all people including the people we support, supervisors, other valued team members, and members of the community.
• Complies fully with FREE’s confidentiality policies by holding in strictest confidence all information pertaining to members, residents, the people we support and their families, clients, providers, contractors, and employees.
• Meets all safety training requirements; adheres to all safety policies and reports any and all unsafe conditions; takes measures to prevent accidents and/or eliminate conditions that pose a safety or health risk.
• Coordinates, supports, attends and participates in all required events/ meetings/ reviews/ committees, including ones outside of standard working hours.
• Meets all job requirements and stays in compliance.
• Adheres to FREE’s standard of ethical behavior as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct as well as applicable laws and regulations.

Please note the above duties, responsibilities, and essential functions are a non-exhaustive list, and may be changed by FREE at any time, with or without notice to the employee.
QUALIFICATIONS

• Education:

o High School Diploma required; Bachelor’s degree in health and human services, education, or related field strongly preferred.

• Experience:

o A minimum of two years of professional experience working directly with persons with developmental disabilities and/or directly with clients in mental health settings. Direct client experience in other state-regulated social services environments considered.
o An appropriate combination of education, experience, and training may be considered.

• Specialized Training, Licenses, Certifications:

o Not required, training will be provided upon hire as needed.

• Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities:

o Understanding of general human resources policies and procedures.
o Knowledge of employment/labor laws.
o Must be proactive, efficient, well organized, extremely detail oriented and have excellent communication skills.
o Aptitude in problem-solving.
o Demonstrated ability to balance competing priorities and meet deadlines by maximizing available technology.
o Demonstrates ability to communicate with multiple constituents clearly and professionally.
o Desire to work as a team with a result driven approach.

• Other Requirements:

WORK ENVIRONMENT
This role is performed in-person.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Employee is required to sit, walk and stand for prolonged period of time (at least 8 hours).
• Employee is required to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Employee is required to operate standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, fax and filing cabinets.
• Employee is required to reach with hands and arms.
• Employee is required to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch or stand on a stool as needed.
• Employee is required to be able to lift 50 pounds at a time.

Notwithstanding the above listed physical requirements of this position, FREE will provide reasonable accommodations to allow employees to perform the essential functions of the position, provided such reasonable accommodations do not cause undue hardship on FREE.
***************************** The Pay Range for this job is $75,000. This range is based on what FREE reasonably believes it will pay an employee as for said position at the time of the posting. Individual compensation will ultimately be determined based on a variety of relevant factors, including, but not limited to, an individual’s experience, qualifications, services provided, geographic location, relevant skills, and other factors permitted under federal, state, and local laws.

FREE is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or any other protected characteristic. In addition to federal law requirements, FREE complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in all of its locations. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises’ affirmative action efforts related to protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are set out and described in our affirmative action plan for protected veterans and individuals with a disability. If you have any questions or would like to view the affirmative action plan, please visit our website www.familyres.org

Salary : $75,000