Human Resources Specialist

Description
Summary
Performs a variety of technical and advanced clerical work in the human resources areas of personnel status transactions recruitment, development and maintenance of personnel files, employee communications all City's health, safety and related training programs to ensure compliance with all local, state and federal safety and health regulations.
Distinguishing Career Features
The Human Resource Specialist refers to the first, in a three-level career path for personnel services. The Human Resource Specialist requires one year of college or equivalent and experience in human resources and working of the functions, services, and typical procedures found in higher education. Advancement requires the expertise and the ability to coordinate all aspects of one or more human resource service and perform more advanced analytical work in areas.
Requirements
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serves as first point-of-contact for the department. Provides information on recruitment processes, Family Medical Leave Act, benefits, personnel policies, rules and regulations. Assists staff with safety and on-the-job injury or related questions.
• Receives and reviews documentation on new employees. Verifies information and eligibility for benefits and retirement.
• Creates a personnel file and prepares related reports.
• Prepares and distributes letters for offer and acceptance agreement.
• Creates, maintains, and updates all personnel files. Ensures that all paperwork is up-to-date and that files comply with record retention requirements.
• Compile reports for external agencies. May compile statistics and trends. May calculate employee costs for specially funded programs/projects.
• Enters new employee information onto a database of human resources information (HRIS). Sets up prompts or separate schedules for identifying dates of employee status change (e.g., step-in-grade, longevity, professional development, performance appraisal).
• Compute and/or verify salary adjustments for employees based on range, step, longevity, and other changes occurring from changes such as annual adjustments, job reclassification, and out-of-class assignments. Refers date, salary rate, and related information to the Payroll section of Finance for processing.
• Notifies administrative staff of due dates for performance evaluations and end of probationary period. Monitors receipt and follows up on late submissions.
• Maintains personnel files and other confidential information. Requires extreme discretion when dealing with oral and written communications about employees.
• Provides procedural instructions and guidance to staff on recruitment and selection procedures, including strategies for outreach and the design and use of candidate testing and selection methods.
• Assists with preparing and distributing position vacancy announcements. Works with publishing agencies, newspapers, and employment networks to post and monitor activity relating to job announcements.
• Accepts, logs, and processes applications for full and part-time positions. Reviews applications for required information, including, as appropriate, transcripts. Develops and maintains applicant mailing lists, ensuring up-to-date information.
• Sets up systems for centralized handling of recruitment activities such as, but not limited to, document control, information flow, and communications.
• Monitors the progress of selection committees during screening, assessment, and interviews. Facilitates committee processes by scheduling meetings, logistics, candidate testing, and communications.
• Composes routine letters regarding employment or other personnel matters. Processes employment verifications by phone or mail, following established privacy rules.
• Maintains and updates employee benefit files - insurances and retirement, including benefit portals and employee records.
• Coordinate daily benefits processing, including enrollments, terminations, and claims.
• Advises and informs employees of the details of the City's benefit programs.
• Resolves benefit-related issues and responds to queries and requests in a timely manner.
• Liaises with insurance vendors and coordinates new and existing plans.
• Collaborates with payroll and ensures that employer contributions and payroll deductions are processed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Handles benefit compensation and reimbursement procedures.
• Monitors and reviews benefit reports to ensure accuracy and compliance on a regular basis. May compile reports as needed.
• Responds to auditors' requests regarding personnel records and benefits.
• Keeps up to date with benefits and retirement regulations, laws, and policies.
• Conducts training on insurance and retirement plans.
• Meets with employees to review and assist with retirement planning.
• Serves as first point-of-contact for the department. Provides information on on-the-job injuries, benefits, recruitment processes, personnel policies, rules and regulations. Refers difficult inquiries to the HR Operations Manager or the Director.
• Maintains personnel files, including worker's compensation and FMLA, and other confidential information. Requires extreme discretion when dealing with oral and written communications about employees.
• Composes routine letters regarding employment, on the job injuries, leave of absence or other personnel matters. Processes employment verifications by phone or mail, following established privacy rules.
• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position.