Human Resources Generalist

General Responsibility

Under the supervision of the Director of Human Resources, the HR Generalist performs a broad range of day to day human resources functions, including recruitment, onboarding, separation administration, benefits administration, employee records, HRIS maintenance, compliance tracking, employee support, and administrative support for employee relations, leave, accommodations, and workplace injury matters. The position helps ensure HR processes are completed accurately, timely, consistently, and in accordance with Agency policies and applicable employment laws and regulations.

This position provides consistent support to the HR Director and serves as a primary point of contact for routine staff inquiries related to employment, benefits, and HR processes. The HR Generalist applies established Agency policies and procedures and uses sound judgment to handle routine HR matters within the scope of the role. Complex, sensitive, disputed, or legally significant matters are promptly escalated to the HR Director.

Consistent professionalism, integrity, accuracy, organization, sound judgment, responsiveness, timely follow through, and strict confidentiality are critical for success. The HR Generalist handles sensitive employee and Agency information with care, communicates respectfully, follows established procedures, and maintains complete and reliable records.

Specific Responsibilities

Recruitment and Employee Lifecycle

• Coordinates assigned recruitment activities under the direction of the HR Director, including posting approved openings, reviewing applications against established job requirements, conducting consistent HR screenings before manager interviews, coordinating interviews, maintaining applicant records and communications, preparing approved offer documentation, and completing candidate closeout communications.
• Coordinates and conducts new hire onboarding and orientation, including required forms, policy and benefits information, and HRIS setup. Confirms the approved start date and verifies that required preemployment approvals and clearances are documented before work begins. Tracks remaining onboarding requirements and promptly escalates missing or unresolved items.
• Administers and documents required candidate and employee screening and clearance processes in accordance with Agency procedures and applicable requirements. This includes reference checks, criminal background and CCL clearances after a conditional offer, federal sanctions and exclusion checks through OIG and SAM.gov, DMV Pull Program administration for positions requiring driving, and required TB and physical clearances. Final disqualification and adverse action decisions remain with the HR Director.
• Coordinates assigned employee separation administration, including required documentation, HRIS and benefits updates, final status information, records, and communication with Accounting and responsible managers. Employment decisions and separation approvals remain with the HR Director and Agency leadership.

HR Operations and Records

• Maintains accurate, complete, and organized employee personnel files and HRIS records within established timelines and in accordance with Agency policies and applicable recordkeeping, retention, confidentiality, and access requirements. Maintains confidential medical, leave, and accommodation information separately from regular personnel files and provides access only as authorized.
• Verifies and tracks required professional licenses, certifications, TB and physical clearances, driver documentation for positions requiring driving, and mandatory training. Monitors renewal and completion deadlines, provides timely reminders, updates records, and promptly escalates missing, expired, or unresolved requirements that may affect work eligibility or compliance.
• Conducts routine reviews of HR records and system data for accuracy and completeness, coordinates approved corrections, and promptly reports material discrepancies, compliance concerns, or unresolved issues to the HR Director.

Benefits Leave and Employee Support

• Administers routine benefits processes under the direction of the HR Director, including eligibility verification, enrollments, qualifying life events, changes, terminations, continuation coverage coordination, and open enrollment. Provides employee support, coordinates with benefit carriers, brokers, and vendors, maintains accurate records, and tracks required deadlines.
• Supports the HR Director with administrative follow up for employee leave and accommodation matters. Tracks deadlines and required documents, maintains confidential records, updates HRIS and employee status information, completes assigned follow up with employees and managers, and promptly reports missing information, changes, or concerns to the HR Director. The HR Director initiates and manages cases with the Agency's leave administration partner unless specific tasks are assigned to the HR Generalist.
• Supports administrative follow up for workplace injury and workers compensation matters as assigned by the HR Director, including tracking required forms, medical work status information, deadlines, and related confidential records. Promptly reports new restrictions, missed deadlines, or unresolved concerns to the HR Director.
• Provides timely, respectful, and accurate responses to routine employee questions regarding established policies, benefits, and HR processes. Documents and follows up on inquiries as appropriate and escalates questions requiring policy interpretation, management direction, or legal review.

Employee Relations and Policy Support

• Receives and documents workplace concerns and promptly escalates employee relations issues, complaints, performance concerns, potential pay errors, policy concerns, and other sensitive or legally significant matters to the HR Director. Preserves relevant information, maintains confidentiality, and supports assigned fact gathering, documentation, and follow up within the direction provided.
• Supports implementation of approved policies and HR initiatives by preparing clear employee communications, coordinating distribution and required acknowledgments or training, and tracking completion. Applies established policies consistently in routine matters and refers requested exceptions or questions requiring interpretation to the HR Director.
• Provides professional, respectful, and timely support to employees, managers, candidates, and external partners through clear communication and reliable follow through.

Payroll Coordination

• Communicates properly approved employee changes affecting payroll to Accounting within established deadlines, including applicable effective dates for new hires, separations, compensation changes, benefit changes, and employment or leave status changes. Maintains complete supporting HR documentation and corresponding HRIS records.
• Receives and documents payroll related employee questions and reported or identified discrepancies, then promptly coordinates with Accounting to support review and resolution. Provides relevant HR records as appropriate, follows up to confirm the matter has been addressed, and escalates potential pay errors, unresolved issues, sensitive matters, or compliance concerns to the HR Director.
• Does not process payroll or perform accounting or billing duties.

Compliance Reporting and Collaboration

• Supports Agency compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, California wage orders, CCL, DMH, and other regulatory requirements by completing assigned monitoring, documentation, and follow up responsibilities and promptly reporting potential gaps or concerns to the HR Director.
• Generates and reviews routine reports and audits from Paylocity and other authorized HR systems, verifies data accuracy, identifies trends or discrepancies, provides findings to the HR Director, and coordinates approved corrections.
• Supports internal and external HR audits and regulatory reviews, including those conducted by CCL, DMH, and other authorized entities. Compiles and reviews requested personnel documentation, coordinates approved responses, tracks deadlines and follow up actions, and provides records only as authorized.
• Maintains ongoing audit readiness by keeping required HR and personnel documentation current, organized, complete, secure, and readily retrievable for authorized review.
• Maintains confidentiality and securely handles HR and employee information. Limits access and disclosure to authorized business purposes and promptly reports any suspected loss, unauthorized access, or improper disclosure to the HR Director.
• Completes HR related special projects and cross department initiatives as assigned by the HR Director and collaborates with other departments as needed.