Associate HR Generalist

Job Summary Overview

Provides front-line HR and payroll support, maintaining accurate employee records and assisting with onboarding, benefits, timekeeping, payroll processing, leave administration, and employee relations. The role delivers timely, confidential customer service, supports compliance with policies and employment requirements, applies established guidelines to resolve routine issues, and escalates complex or non-standard matters as needed.

Essential Job Functions

• Provides responsive, confidential HR support and resolves routine employee inquiries by applying established HR policies and procedures; identifies and escalates complex or sensitive issues appropriately. Supports consistent application of HR policies and procedures; provides guidance on available resources and next steps.
• Provides employee relations support by documenting concerns, coordinating meetings, preparing routine correspondence, and applying established employee relations guidelines in support of issue resolution; routes complex or high-risk matters to HR leadership for guidance and resolution.
• Processes and audits HRIS and timekeeping transactions such as new hires, job/comp changes, status changes, and separations, identifies discrepancies or exceptions, applies standard resolution steps where applicable, and routes items requiring review or approval.
• Supports payroll processing by validating time and pay inputs, identifying discrepancies, applying standard payroll guidelines to resolve routine issues, and coordinating approvals for non-standard items, and meeting payroll cutoffs.
• Reviews and enters approved pay adjustments for bonuses, differentials, retro pay, etc, runs routine reports, supports off-cycle checks, and helps resolve payroll exceptions ensuring alignment with established payroll guidelines and documentation standards.
• Maintains payroll documentation and supports reconciliations, direct deposit/tax updates, and deductions/garnishments per procedure.
• Assists with year-end payroll and W-2 support, including address validation, routine employee questions, and reprints/corrections.
• Coordinates onboarding and offboarding activities, including documentation, checklists, and system access requests.
• Administers leave processes under the FMLA, ADA, and state law as applicable, by providing intake support, tracking documentation and deadlines, applying established eligibility and documentation guidelines for routine cases, updating HRIS/timekeeping as needed, and coordinating with vendors and HR partners; escalates complex eligibility, designation, or compliance matters.
• Supports benefits, leave, and open enrollment administration by processing changes, answering routine questions, and resolving standard issues by applying plan guidelines and procedures.
• Maintains HR records and trackers, compiles routine metrics, and supports assigned projects and compliance documentation.
• Generates and distributes monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting as applicable (e.g., payroll, headcount, turnover, and miscellaneous employee reporting), ensuring accuracy, identifies variances or data issues, and escalates or investigates as appropriate.
• Applies established policies, procedures, and guidelines to make routine decisions and resolve standard issues within defined parameters
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Position Required Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

High School diploma or GED required; associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. One (1) year of HR support experience required. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and able to learn HRIS, timekeeping, and payroll systems quickly. Detail-oriented with strong customer service and communication skills. Able to manage multiple deadlines, maintain confidentiality, and use sound judgment. Familiar with basic wage and hour/timekeeping concepts, payroll terminology (tax/withholding, earnings, deductions), and foundational leave and employee relations processes (intake, documentation, tracking, escalation). Able to perform basic math (rates, ratios, percentages).

Licenses, Training, and Certifications Required

None.

Preferred Qualifications

SHRM-CP or aPHR certification preferred.

Hybrid Work Environment and Physical Demands

Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, climb or balance; use hands to finger keys accurately when using calculator machines or computer keyboards; reach with hands and arms. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distant vision, and color vision. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Must be able to travel independently to department and branch locations. 

NOTE: The job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Requirements listed in the above qualifications and physical requirements are representative of the knowledge, skill, abilities, physical demands, or work environment required or encountered that must be met by an employee to successfully perform each duty and each function of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Employees who work from home must have business operational internet to complete work tasks and communicate via video call or chat messaging systems in a dedicated workspace.