Human Resources (HR) Specialist

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Human Resources (HR) Specialist to support employee relations, leave administration, and workers’ compensation processes in California. This contract opportunity with permanent potential is ideal for someone who can balance compliance, employee support, and partnership with leadership in a fast-moving environment. The role requires strong knowledge of California employment regulations and a thoughtful approach to handling sensitive workplace matters with accuracy and discretion.

Responsibilities

• Oversee employee leave cases from intake through resolution, ensuring timely tracking, documentation, and adherence to applicable state and federal requirements.
• Coordinate workers’ compensation matters by managing incident reporting, maintaining claim records, communicating with external partners, and supporting return-to-work planning.
• Work closely with supervisors and team members to navigate accommodation discussions, interactive processes, and transitions back to work following protected leave.
• Maintain organized and confidential HR files, case notes, and compliance-related records to support accurate reporting and audit readiness.
• Advise managers on employee relations concerns, policy application, disciplinary documentation, and compliant people practices under California law.
• Interpret employment policies and regulatory requirements to help ensure consistent HR administration across leave, workplace support, and employee relations issues.
• Assist with unemployment responses, workplace reviews, corrective action coordination, and other employee support activities as needed.
• Partner with payroll, benefits, and other HR colleagues to ensure leave and workers’ compensation matters are administered smoothly and accurately.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR workflows, strengthen compliance practices, and enhance the overall employee experience.

Requirements

• At least 3 years of human resources experience with direct responsibility for employee relations, leave administration, and workers’ compensation.
• Solid understanding of California employment law, including leave protections, accommodations, wage and hour considerations, and employee rights.
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential and sensitive workplace issues with professionalism, sound judgment, and discretion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• HR certification, bilingual ability, or experience supporting multi-site employee populations is a plus.

Skills

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple cases, deadlines, and competing priorities effectively.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, along with the ability to document issues thoroughly and resolve conflict constructively.
• Experience using HRIS platforms and maintaining accurate employee records and case documentation.

Benefits

• Medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance.
• Eligible to enroll in company 401(k) plan.