Employee Relations Specialist

The Employee Relations Specialist is responsible for managing employee relations inquiries and investigations within the County. This includes handling employee grievances and investigations, reasonable accommodations requests and the interactive process, mediating conflicts between employees and/or management, delivering training on performance management and unlawful harassment, and resolving complex issues within departments. This role contributes to the development of best practices and play a vital role in enhancing the employee experience and retention across the organization.

• Meeting and engaging with employees to discuss inquiries, grievances, investigations, accommodations and other employee relations issues ensuring a responsive and supportive HR presence.
• Logging and recording details of all investigations and accommodation requests.
• Compiling detailed reports and memorandums that document findings from inquiries and investigations outlining recommendations, next steps, and resolutions.
• Mediate conflicts between employees and management to foster a positive work environment and resolve disputes effectively.
• Delivering training sessions focused on preventing unlawful harassment in the workplace, promoting awareness, and ensuring compliance with legal standards.
• Leading the interactive process for accommodation requests, working closely with employees to understand their needs and ensure legal compliance.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on federal and state discrimination laws, including but not limited to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the ADA. Provide guidance to employees and management regarding these regulations and related policies ensuring consistent application and understanding across the organization.
• Reviewing HR and departmental policies and procedures and providing recommendations to leadership to ensure policies and procedures to reflect current laws, regulations, and County practices.
• Foster strong collaborative relationships with HR colleagues and other departmental stakeholders to ensure a unified approach to Employee Relations and HR initiatives.
• Participate in HR projects and initiatives that impact employee relations, contributing to the overall improvement of HR services and the employee experience.

Public Speaking Requirements
 Employee Relations Specialists will be required to:

•  Present findings from investigations to HR leadership and other relevant parties.

• Lead training sessions on topics such as unlawful harassment and performance management.
• Represent the Employee Relations team in departmental meetings, sharing insights, updates, and best practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, finance, or a closely related field (psychology, legal studies or labor relations degree preferred);
• Three years of specialized human resources experience or one year of general human resources experience; 
• Or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

• Workplace Investigation certification
• Two years of employee or labor relations experience
• One year of mediation experience

About Gwinnett County

Welcome to Gwinnett County Government

Gwinnett County Government is an award-winning employer that believes in investing in its employees by providing corporate level benefits, a wellness program, professional development opportunities, career advancement, and more

Careers with impact

Gwinnett County sets the standard as a dynamic, vibrant community where all people can enjoy economic opportunities, safe neighborhoods, plentiful greenspace, and recreational facilities. We are committed to hiring those who share our dedication to making life better for our residents and business owners. The culture of superior service that our employees have created reflects that standard and helps staff, residents, and stakeholders remain vibrantly connected.

Exceptional benefits

Working for Gwinnett County comes with exceptional benefits, including health coverage, a robust wellness program (Spouses can participate, too!), onsite employee wellness center, longevity pay, tuition reimbursement, and more. The value of Gwinnett County benefits can be up to 49 percent of an individual’s total compensation.

World-class community

More than a million residents make up Gwinnett’s diverse community. The County is located just 45 minutes from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta. Georgia Highway 316 reduces travel time to the University of Georgia to 25 minutes.

Gwinnett County is an award-winning employer!

• Atlanta’s Healthiest Employer by Atlanta Business Chronicle
• Green Communities Platinum Certification for Gwinnett County from the Atlanta Regional Commission
• Top 100 Healthiest Workplaces in America by Springbuk and PR NewsWire and more!

Vision
Gwinnett is the preferred community where everyone thrives!
  
Mission
Gwinnett proudly supports our vibrantly connected community by delivering superior services.
  
Values
Integrity: We believe in being honest, building trust, and having strong moral principles.
Accountability: We believe in stewardship, transparency, and sustainability.
Equity: We believe in fairness and respect for all.
Inclusivity: We believe in engaging, embracing, and unifying our communities.
Innovation: We believe in continual adaptation of technology, process, and experience.
 
Hiring Process
Gwinnett County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information regarding our hiring process, please click the links below:

• Hiring Process
• FAQs

Gwinnett County is committed to creating a diverse workforce.  As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information (including sex), race, color, national origin (including ancestry), gender (identity and expression), sexual orientation, age, marital status, familial status (including pregnancy), disability, military or veteran status, religion, political affiliation, immigration status, homeless status, or any other category protected by law.

Reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities may be requested. If you need an accommodation during the application, interview, or testing process, contact Human Resources at 770.822.7915 or HREmployeeRelations@GwinnettCounty.com. This email is only for accommodation requests; for questions related to job postings, use jobs@gwinnettcounty.com.