Employee Relations Specialist
Summary
The Employee Relations Specialist handles workplace investigations, advises managers on performance and policy, and ensures HR compliance with labor laws while supporting a positive work environment in the energy sector.
Employee Relations Specialist
Job Description
Department: Human Resources
Job Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Salary, Non-Exempt
Reports To: HR Compliance Manager
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Amount of Travel Required: Up to 25%
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Positions Supervised: N/A
AIP Level: 7
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Employee Relations (ER) Specialist partners with leadership and employees to address workplace culture, performance management, compliance, and risk mitigation. This role provides employee relations consultation and collaborates cross functionally with Compliance, HR Business Partners, and the Employee Experience team to ensure consistent, fair, and compliant application of company policies and labor laws. The ER Specialist plays a key role in resolving workplace issues, promoting positive employee relationships, and supporting a safe, respectful, and high performing work environment.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (The following duties and responsibilities are all essential job functions, as defined by the ADA, except for those that begin with the word "may")
- Serves as a key point of contact for employees and leaders on workplace concerns, conflicts, and grievances, and conducts timely, thorough, and well-documented investigations in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws.
- Maintains organized, confidential documentation of investigations, findings, and follow-up actions.
- Provides guidance to managers on performance management, employee discussions, and policy interpretation, emphasizing fairness, consistency, and risk mitigation.
- Partners with leaders to develop preventative and corrective plans such as early intervention plans, follow-up plans after investigations, and team reset plans to reduce the likelihood and severity of future employee relations issues.
- Assists in developing training materials related to conflict resolution and employee relations topics to promote a positive work environment and employee relations.
- Maintains current knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations (e.g., FMLA, ADA, FLSA, Title VII) and ensures compliance by advising leaders and reviewing policies and practices in alignment with best practices.
- Drives consistency and alignment across departments to ensure equitable treatment and fair application of policy.
- Assists with presenting findings and recommendations to HR leadership.
- Consults with HR Compliance Manager on termination decisions and other high-risk actions to ensure legal compliance and alignment with organizational values.
- Supports staff engagement efforts by coordinating surveys, focus groups, exit interviews, and ongoing feedback mechanisms.
- Performs other duties as assigned to assist with successful operations and business continuity.