Senior Employee Relations Consultant

Position Description

Base pay is influenced by several factors including a candidate’s qualifications, relevant experience, and anticipated contributions to meet the needs of the business, along with internal pay equity and external market-driven rates. The salary range displayed has not been adjusted for geographical location. This range has been created in good faith based on information known to Capital Blue Cross at the time of posting and may be modified in the future. Capital Blue Cross offers a comprehensive benefits packaging including Medical, Dental & Vision coverage, a Retirement Plan, generous time off including Paid Time Off, Holidays, and Volunteer time off, an Incentive Plan, Tuition Reimbursement, and more.   

At Capital Blue Cross, we promise to go the extra mile for our team and our community. This promise is at the heart of our culture, and it’s why our employees consistently vote us one of the “Best Places to Work in PA.”

This role is responsible for providing consistent support, guidance, and resolution to Managers and Employees for a wide range of employee relations matters.

This role plays a key part in promoting a positive work environment by supporting management and staff on HR policies, employee communication and engagement, handling workplace concerns, and ensuring compliance with employment laws and organizational policies.

This position will support the management of policies, programs, and procedures meant to foster positive relations between employees and the organization.

This role will lead and resolve workplace matters through conflict resolution and/or disciplinary action adhering to company policies and procedures as well as local, state, and federal regulations.

This is a visible cross-functional position which works with all levels across the enterprise and requires a consultative and collaborative approach with strong drive for results and follow-through.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

• Serve as primary resource for managers, employees, HR Business Partners, and HR centers of excellence on employee relations matters, including workplace concerns, conflict, misconduct, policy interpretation, performance issues, corrective action, and terminations.
• Lead impartial, timely, and well-documented workplace investigations involving sensitive or complex allegations, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace conduct, policy violations, ethics concerns, and other employee complaints.
• Coach leaders through difficult employee situations, helping them address issues directly, consistently, and with appropriate documentation and follow-through.
• Interpret and apply employment policies, procedures, and applicable federal, state, and local employment laws to support fair, consistent, and compliant decision-making.
• Monitor employment legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels across the U.S. In consultation with Legal, Compliance, and other key partners, assess potential impacts and implement needed updates to company policies, processes, leader guidance, and employee communications.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and other internal stakeholders on employee-related matters, including claims, external inquiries, document requests, and related case preparation.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential employee relations case records, including investigation files, decision rationale, corrective action documentation, and accommodation-related escalation documentation.
• Use employee relations data, case trends, themes, and root-cause analysis to identify risk areas, recurring manager capability gaps, policy inconsistencies, and opportunities for prevention.
• Prepare reports, insights, and recommendations for HR leadership and business partners while preserving confidentiality and appropriate need-to-know access.
• Continuously improve ER processes, templates, workflows, and service standards to drive consistency, quality, timeliness, and risk mitigation.
• Review and provide guidance on escalated ADA, FMLA, pregnancy, religious accommodation, medical restriction, return-to-work, fitness-for-duty, and leave-related employee concerns.
• Partner with Leave Administration or the responsible administrator on case facts, medical documentation status, essential job functions, operational impact, prior decisions, and available options.
• Ensure accommodation matters are reviewed individually and supported by an appropriate interactive process, including consideration of reasonable accommodations, alternative accommodations, essential job functions, and undue hardship when applicable.

Location: 

• This position is classified hybrid, which requires onsite work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

Skills:

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills dealing with highly sensitive matters.
• Ability to conduct and document sensitive investigations, while managing and resolving conflicts effectively.
• Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential matters with compassion and equity.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of professionalism and diplomacy in interactions with all levels of the organization in a matrixed team environment and collaborating with others.
• Excellent follow through skills and the ability to anticipate and address business needs proactively.
• Team-oriented attitude balanced with ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to maintain perspective, balance, and focus through challenge, uncertainty and change. Ability to work productively in a fast-paced, demanding environment.
• Decision making, strong problem solver, and critical thinking skills.
• Must be detail-oriented, organized, with excellent written communication skills.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, derive insights, and take informed action.
• Proficient in HRIS systems and MS Office Suite; experience with data analysis and reporting is a plus.

Knowledge:

• Strong working knowledge of employment laws, compliance, and HR Best Practices.

Experience:

• Five or more years of progressive human resources experience, with significant experience in employee relations, workplace investigations, HR compliance, performance management, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience conducting and documenting sensitive workplace investigations and advising leaders on corrective action, performance issues, policy violations, and employee complaints.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including ADA, FMLA, Title VII, ADEA, PWFA, FLSA, wage and hour, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, and related workplace protections.
• Experience partnering with Legal, Compliance, HR, and business leaders on sensitive employee matters and employment risk decisions.
• Experience drafting or updating employment policies, leader guidance, case documentation, employee communications, or investigation summaries.
• Preferred
• HR certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR.
• Experience in a regulated industry, health care, insurance, financial services, or another complex operating environment.

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; HR certification (e.g., PHR, SHRM-CP) preferred.

Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of the job, the employee is frequently required to sit, use hands and fingers, talk, hear, and see.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 5 pounds.

About Us

We recognize that work is a part of life, not separate from it, and foster a flexible environment where your health and wellbeing are prioritized. At Capital you will work alongside a caring team of supportive colleagues and be encouraged to volunteer in your community.  We value your professional and personal growth by investing heavily in training and continuing education, so you have the tools to do your best as you develop your career. And by doing your best, you’ll help us live our mission of improving the health and well-being of our members and the communities in which they live.