Human Resources Generalist

Channing House is a leading not-for-profit Life Plan Community in Palo Alto, founded in 1960. We believe that older adults thrive in a vibrant setting that supports active, engaged and healthy living. We provide a sustainable, innovative community that promotes this lifestyle, while embracing respect and dignity for all who live and work here. Our team of 200 staff members, from Front-Line to Leadership, drive the mission of Channing House, providing services to the 265 highly engaged residents who call Channing House their home.

About the role

The Human Resource Generalist is responsible for performing a variety of core HR-related duties and works closely with the Human Resources Manager to support Channing House’s employees and day-to-day HR operations. This role executes a majority of the core HR functions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee records & benefits administration, leave administration, training coordination, employee engagement, and compliance activities. The Human Resources Generalist works closely with the Human Resources Manager in delivering consistent, compliant, and employee-centered HR services throughout the employee lifecycle and supports the strategic work and direction of the Human Resources Director. The role exemplifies Channing House’s Core Values: Do the right thing; Be a team player; Focus on quality; Adapt to change.

Responsibilities

• Administer various human resource plans and procedures for all company personnel; assist with the implementation of human resources policies, procedures, and programs and recommend process improvements.
• Support compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations by maintaining accurate documentation, monitoring required records, and bringing potential issues to the attention of the HR Manager.
• Protect organization’s values by managing and maintaining confidential information and communication.
• Recommend, evaluate and participate in staff development for the organization.
• Support Human Resources projects, department initiatives, and continuous process improvement efforts.
• Coordinate employee communications and engagement activities, including maintaining compliance posters, updating open positions, drafting and distributing employee communications, supporting onboarding, orientation, staff celebrations, and special events.
• Handle employment-related inquiries from applicants, employees, and supervisors, referring complex and/or sensitive matters to the Human Resources Manager/Director.
• Support HR Manager with employee disciplinary meetings, terminations, and investigations.
• Support employee training and development programs by scheduling sessions, tracking attendance, and assisting with meeting coordination, including capturing clear and accurate meeting minutes when needed.
• Participate in administrative staff meetings and attend other company meetings and seminars as needed.
• Maintain accurate and organized employee records, including personnel, medical, benefits, I-9, agency, and volunteer files in compliance with company policies and legal requirements. Manage employee photos, name badges, and parking permits.
• Maintain accurate employee information within the HRIS, ensuring personnel records, employment changes, and required documentation are current and complete. Maintain employee confidence and protect payroll operations by keeping information confidential.
• Provide Payroll/Accounting with accurate information for any personnel wage changes, new hires, working interviews, and terminations to ensure accurate and timely payment to employees.
• Coordinate employee training records, required certifications, licenses, annual compliance training, and onboarding requirements to ensure employees remain current with organizational and regulatory requirements.
• Provide administrative support for employee relations matters by preparing documentation, coordinating meetings, maintaining confidential records, and tracking follow-up activities as directed by the HR Manager.
• Assist the HR Manager with investigations, disciplinary processes, and performance management by gathering documentation, coordinating meetings, and maintaining accurate records.
• Participate in and document investigations; ensure consistent follow-up and recordkeeping.
• Promote and support culture initiatives and employee engagement efforts such as surveys, team-building events, and communication campaigns.
• Champion employee recognition programs including Nectar, milestone tracking, and organization-wide events; coordinate logistics and recognition items.
• Manage full-cycle recruiting for all non-exempt roles, including posting jobs, screening resumes, scheduling interviews, facilitating working interviews, and collecting all documentation. Partner with hiring managers to ensure timely and compliant hiring practices.
• Maintain job descriptions, postings, and advertisements on various sites and forums.
• Execute interview process for all candidates (phone screening, scheduling in-person interviews and working interviews) and manage all paperwork flow to ensure documentation is thorough, accurate, and compliant.
• Coordinate the onboarding process for all new employees, including new hire paperwork, I-9 verification, background checks, pre-employment requirements, orientation, system access, and coordination with department leaders to ensure employees are prepared for their first day.
• Maintain employee certifications, licenses, health requirements, mandatory education, and regulatory compliance documentation, ensuring records remain current and audit-ready.
• Coordinate organization-wide training by scheduling sessions, maintaining attendance records, tracking completion of required education, certifications, and annual compliance training, and providing reports to department leaders and the HR Manager.
• Track and report on recruiting and onboarding metrics to HR Manager/Director.
• Coordinate leave administration by preparing documentation, communicating with employees, tracking leave timelines, and supporting the HR Manager in administering FMLA, CFRA, ADA, PDL, Workers' Compensation, and other leave programs.
• Assist employees with benefits questions and support enrollment, changes, and terminations in benefits platforms.
• Partner with HR Manager to administer leave for employees, prepare letters, and assist with pay and benefits coordination.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA and other regulatory standards related to health and leave-related information.
• Coordinate Workers’ Compensation claims by gathering documentation, maintaining communication with employees, and supporting return-to-work activities under the direction of the HR Manager.
• Work with the HR Manager to identify training or corrective action needs to reduce risk. Follow through with respective teams and managers for further training and opportunities to avoid continued accidents.
• Manage offboarding process: prepare termination packets, coordinate final pay and benefits notices, collect equipment, conduct exit interviews, and update records.
• Coordinate or conduct exit interviews and report to the HR Manager/Director on key points from these interviews.
• Coordinate the performance evaluation process by preparing evaluation materials, tracking due dates, following up with managers, maintaining completed evaluations, and reporting completion status to the HR Manager.
• Support disciplinary processes by preparing documents, reviewing for compliance, and attending meetings with HR Manager as needed.
• Participate in audits and assist with gathering required documentation for compliance reporting.
• Establish and maintain effective team relationships with fellow staff; apply effective communication and listening skills.
• Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions with all residents, colleagues, clients, vendors, and members of the public.
• Provide a supportive and caring environment to meet the needs of residents as individuals and as members of a shared community.
• Adhere to all company policies, procedures, safety, and compliance practices, and business ethics codes.

Requirements

• Three to five years of human resource experience.
• Previous supervisory experience is a plus.
• Experience coordinating onboarding, employee training, HRIS administration, benefits, and leave administration preferred.
• High School diploma, GED or equivalent experience required.
• AA, BA or BS degree. Specialty in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Demonstrated ability in ADP WorkforceNow and payroll.
• HRIS skills; ATS knowledge is a plus.
• Ability to speak and comprehend English the primary language used in the workplace; ability to speak and/or comprehend other languages utilized by clients is a plus.
• Bilingual: English and Spanish highly desired.
• Must be able to interpret and administer State and federal labor law to employees.
• Professional certifications such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or PHR is a plus.

Schedule

Position requires flexibility to work nights, weekends and some holidays based on needs.

Physical Demands

• Able to stand on your feet throughout work period.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer and operating phones.
• Possess multi-limb and eye-hand coordination.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision.
• Able to reach, bend, stoop, push and/or pull, regularly move 10 pounds and occasionally lift/move up to 25 pounds.