HR Generalist (Employment & Unemployment Administration)

General Summary: The Human Resources Generalist – Employment & Unemployment Administration performs specialized, technical, and confidential work supporting Citywide employment compliance operations. This position administers the City’s unemployment processes, supports DOT regulatory requirements for safety-sensitive positions, manages employment-related documentation and program compliance, assists in drug and alcohol testing workflows, and monitors driver’s license expiration requirements for regulated employees. The role provides functional support to and receives direction from the Employment Manager and collaborates with hiring managers, supervisors, occupational health partners, and HR staff to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant employment actions.

Distinguishing Features of the Class: This position is distinguished by responsibility for specialized employment-related administration, including unemployment claims processing, DOT compliance, drug/alcohol testing coordination, and regulated documentation tracking. Work requires attention to detail, independent judgment, familiarity with state and federal employment regulations, and strict confidentiality.
 Job Duties

• Manage unemployment claims end-to-end, including claim intake, review, documentation gathering, and timely submission of responses.
• Represent the City in unemployment audits, hearings, fact-finding interviews, and follow-up reviews.
• Prepare and submit required documentation, employer responses, and wage verification requests.
• Maintain case files, track outcomes, and identify patterns or areas for supervisor coaching.

• Support Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance activities for safety-sensitive positions, including documentation verification and communication workflows.
• Review and track DOT medical certificates (e.g., CDL medical cards), ensuring timely renewal and compliance notifications.
• Coordinate with external occupational health providers on required DOT screenings.

• Assist in administering the City’s drug and alcohol testing requirements (pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, return-to-duty).
• Communicate test scheduling, document results, and maintain confidential program records.
• Ensure adherence to DOT, federal, state, and City testing requirements.

• Track and verify driver’s license expirations for employees in positions requiring driving credentials and/or commercial licensure.
• Notify employees and supervisors of upcoming expirations and compliance deadlines.
• Maintain accurate, secure license documentation.

• Assist with employment verification processes, wage requests, compliance letters, and regulatory employment documentation.
• Process personnel action forms (PAFs), onboarding documents, and employee record updates.
• Maintain personnel files related to employment eligibility and compliance.
• Respond to employment-related inquiries from employees, supervisors, and external agencies.

• Provide functional support to the Employment Manager as the subject-matter lead for employment and occupational health processes. 
• Coordinate closely with HR team members involved in payroll, benefits, leave administration, and recruitment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
   

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Customer Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer service. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. High level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations and provide excellent customer service.
• Reading, Written and Verbal Comprehension - Reading and hearing work-related information with understanding of information being shared. Excellent writing and reading comprehension skills.
• Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions
• Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Deductive and Inductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate degree in Human Resources Management; Business Administration or related field; and 
• Experience in human resources, employment compliance, unemployment administration, DOT-regulated operations, or related functions 
• A commensurate combination of experience and education. 

 
 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
 

• PHR or SPHR certification and/or SHRM-CP certification
• Experience supporting unemployment claims, hearings, or DOT documentation requirements.
• Knowledge of drug and alcohol testing programs and regulatory compliance.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Employee shall establish their principal place of residence within fifty (50) miles of the corporate limits of the city of Dubuque as soon as practical after appointment, but within two years of appointment.
 
 FLSA STATUS: Exempt
 
 SUPERVISORY STATUS:   None