Human Resources Generalist

The HR Generalist will play a pivotal role in ensuring the full spectrum of human resources functions are aligned with the Firm’s goals and values in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County offices. This position requires a professional with a robust understanding of HR policies, legal compliance, and employee relations. The ideal candidate will be proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of multitasking in a fast-paced environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

Staff Recruitment and Onboarding

• Manage staff full recruitment cycle, from job posting to interviewing and hiring.


• Conduct new employee orientations and ensure a seamless onboarding experience.


• Coordinate with department heads to identify staffing needs and develop job descriptions.


• Build and maintain relationships with recruitment agencies and job boards.

Office Administration

• Ensure all secretarial and administrative support positions are staffed on a daily basis.


• Regulate workflow within the office and allocates overflow and coordinate team projects.


• Manage new hire and maintenance of HR records such as: employee personnel files, employee information forms, job performance evaluations, changes in pay status forms, Personnel Action Notices (PANs), credit card requests, I-9 forms, FTE, inactive personnel files, temporary staff log, and termination checklist.


• Manage employee timecards to include edits and weekly approvals.


• Monitor leave requests and vacation schedules to ensure office staffing needs.


• Monitor use of sick leave, vacation and other absences. Utilize database software for attendance records.


• Handle requests for verification of employment.


• Conduct staff and attorney exit interviews to determine reasons behind separations.


• Assist in coordination of special projects as requested, including, but not limited to the annual Staff Appreciation event and Fall/Summer office events.


• Coordinate health screening events and flu shots in LA/SF/OC offices.


• Coordinate office participation of volunteer programs throughout the year.

Employee Relations

• Act as the first point of contact for employee queries and concerns.


• Help field and respond to inquiries from the professional and support staff regarding Firm policy and procedures.


• Foster a positive work environment through effective communication and conflict resolution.


• Implement and oversee employee engagement initiatives and activities.


• Handle sensitive employee relations issues with discretion and professionalism.

Performance Management

• Assist in coordinating the annual performance evaluation program and goal setting for attorneys and professional/support staff.


• Monitor and track employee performance and provide feedback and coaching as necessary.


• Identify training and development needs and facilitate appropriate programs.

Compliance and Policy Management

• Ensure the firm’s HR policies comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Coordinates compliance with federal and state regulations pertaining to ADA, EEO, FMLA, OSHA and FLSA. Maintains a current knowledge of applicable laws, rulings and regulations and recommends appropriate changes in office practices.


• Update and maintain HR documentation.


• Conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with labor laws and internal policies.


• Handle employee grievances and disciplinary actions in accordance with firm policies.

Compensation and Benefits

• Assist the OA with recommendations for annual salary increases and bonuses for support staff in conjunction with approved budget.


• Conduct regular salary reviews and benchmarking exercises.


• Assist with coordination of the local office benefits administration including communication and distribution of related forms.


• Manage employee leaves of absence, including providing guidance to employees on eligibility, completing and submitting FMLA and STD forms to Firmwide and the State of California, ensuring compliance with state laws like Paid Family Leave (PFL) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA), maintaining accurate records related to leave usage, and staying updated on any regulatory changes.


• Investigate work-related accidents, prepares first report of injury paperwork, and submit and track Worker’s Comp claim.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years of HR Generalist experience. Law Firm experience highly desirable.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Outlook and Excel.  Proven aptitude to learn new software applications.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to speak effectively with all levels of clients and professional and support staff.  Interpersonal communication skills necessary to maintain effective relationships with partners, attorneys, clients and staff, and to exhibit a high degree of responsiveness, diplomacy and professionalism in these interactions.  Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from all levels of professional and support staff, clients, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, proportions, percentages, area and circumference.  Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, probability, statistical inference and proportions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.  Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.  Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.  Exhibit independent thinking and decision making.  Ability to think strategically, develop tactics and execute pragmatically.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES: 

Demonstrated ability to multi-task and be detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.  Strong analytical and communication skills both oral and written.  Excellent organizational and planning skills with ability to prioritize multiple tasks and projects to meet deadlines.  Outstanding creativity; flexibility and persistence; motivation and energy with the ability to work with little supervision and collaborate with other members of the team.  A tolerance for uncertainty and an ability to prioritize and complete simultaneous projects with minimal supervision.  Ability to coordinate the activities of department resources.  Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with strict deadlines.

Must be able to perform essential duties of the position with time constraints and interruptions.  Demonstrate good judgment, tact, and flexibility under pressure in a mixed-matrix environment with many stakeholders and potentially competing priorities.  Familiar with the assigned practice groups, industries, and/or geographies.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that should be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, documents, books, pen/pencil, paper, controls and manipulate a keyboard, and input data into a PC; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk.  The employee is occasionally required to use hands to prepare correspondence and reports on a personal computer.  The employee is occasionally required to stand and reach with hands and arms. And stoop, kneel, bend, crouch or crawl.  Ability to operate a variety of standard office equipment including a computer, copy and facsimile machines.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Baker & Hostetler LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The expected annual salary for this position ranges from $110,000-130,000. The salary offered will be determined by a wide range of factors including but not limited to experience level, education/training, and relevant skills.