Senior HR Generalist - Office Day at Downtown Emergency Service Center

Days Off: Saturday, Sunday

Shift: Office Day

Location: Hybrid WFH/In-Office at 515 3rd Ave, Seattle

Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

About DESC:

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness.

As the region's leading provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 2,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness.

JOB DEFINITION:

The primary focus of this role will be to provide support for the administration and compliance of employee benefits, leaves of absence (i.e. FMLA, WAPFL, accommodations etc.), and L&I Workers Compensation with a strong emphasis on maintaining legal compliance within these sensitive areas, ensuring adherence to labor laws and organizational policies. Additionally, this role will provide general HR support to the HR team as needed.

The Senior HR Generalist would also analyze data on benefits utilization, leave patterns, and workplace injuries to identify trends and areas for improvement; Partner with employee relations teams to address situations where benefits, leave, or workers' compensation cases intersect with performance and/or disciplinary issues.

Duties/Responsibilities:

1. Benefits Administration:

• Provide strategic guidance to HR Specialist handling employee benefits programs including health insurance, dental, vision, retirement plans, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts.
• Oversee maintenance of employee benefits files, maintains group benefits database, and updates employee HRIS records.
• Maintain advanced knowledge of benefit programs and recommend program changes and general policy and procedure changes as needed.
• Collaborate with external agencies, HR and accounting to administer benefits programs and provide appropriate guidance wherever needed.
• Conduct open enrollment processes, including communication, plan selection, and enrollment support.
• Assist the HR Specialist with communications, employee support, and resolving complex queries.
• Monitor benefit plan costs, identify cost-saving opportunities, and work with vendors to negotiate contracts.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations (e.g., ACA, COBRA, ERISA).
• Conduct periodic audits of benefits data and provide data regarding compensation and benefit plans; compiles reports, correspondence, and responses to survey requests to maintain accuracy and integrity.

2. Leaves and Accommodations:

• Develop, implement and maintain leave practices that are compliant with FMLA, ADA, and state-specific leave laws as needed.
• Design and deliver training presentations, and other resources for managers and departments to assist them with understanding FMLA, disability, leave of absence and other leave topics.
• Advise HR Specialists and supervisors on challenging leave/accommodation cases, ensuring adherence to legal requirements and internal protocols.
• Review and advise on complex leave and accommodation requests, such as those requiring extensive documentation or interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Act as point person for escalated employee concerns related to leaves or accommodations, by working closely with managers to resolve FMLA issues and identify patterns of absence that may need investigation and/or discipline.
• Participate in regular meetings with other program departments and HR Managers to discuss and resolve department-specific leave issues and trends.
• Providing input to improve FMLA and Leave of Absence processes and procedures based on system and administration needs.
• Collaborate with managers and employees to develop appropriate accommodation plans.

3. Workers' Compensation:

• Collaborate with HR L&I Specialist to manage workers' compensation claims, ensuring timely and accurate reporting to the state and insurance carriers.
• Serves as a liaison between employees, managers, insurance carriers, medical staff and 3rd-party administrators
• Support HR Specialist in designing and implementing return-to-work plans for employees recovering from workplace injuries.
• Ensure accommodations and temporary work assignments are compliant with state and agency policies.
• Ensure adherence to all state and federal workers' compensation laws, including reporting requirements and deadlines.
• Identify opportunities to minimize workers' compensation costs through proactive measures like safety training and hazard mitigation.?

Required Skills/Abilities:?

• Strong understanding of benefits leaves and accommodations, workers compensation administration, and the interplay between them.
• Knowledge of Federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Excellent teamwork and collaborative approach by being a strong liaison with the HR Specialists in their respective areas of work.
• Analytical mindset for data interpretation and trend analysis.
• Appropriate safeguarding and handling of confidential and proprietary information.
• Understanding of HR practices and principles, and all applicable employment, payroll, benefits, health, and safety laws and regulations in the US.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.?
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Thorough knowledge of employment-related laws and regulations.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Proficiency with or the ability to quickly learn the organization's HRIS and talent management systems.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree and three years of HR experience, or associate degree and four years of HR experience.
• At least three years of hands-on experience in human resource management, demonstrating a practical and operational approach to human resource functions and responsibilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• SHRM-CP

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.??
• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization's facilities.?

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to sit for long periods of time, walk when completing rounds several times a day, move quickly during de-escalations, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, and lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace, and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Compensation details: 92740.56-104908.8 Yearly Salary

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