Workers’ Compensation Manager (Human Resources Manager)

About the role

The Workers' Compensation Manager (Human Resources Manager) oversees AC Transit’s self-insured workers’ compensation and modified duty programs. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, this role provides strategic leadership, supervises staff, and manages the District’s workers’ compensation program, including oversight of the Third-Party Administrator (TPA).

Responsibilities

• Selects, trains, develops, mentors, and guides staff in achieving goals and objectives.
• Counsels and handles personnel actions including discipline and grievance processes for direct and indirect reports, as needed.
• Develops and implements goals, objectives, work standards, policies, procedures, short and long-range strategic plans for the District’s self-insured workers’ compensation program, ensuring compliance with California Labor Code and applicable federal and state regulations.
• Manages staff and oversees operations within the Workers’ Compensation unit of the Human Resources Department.
• Collaborates across HR, Legal, Safety, and Operations to manage complex workers’ compensation cases, including alternative dispute resolution and return-to-work programs.
• Drives early intervention and claims reduction initiatives, improving return-to-work outcomes and minimizing long-tail claims exposure.
• Reviews trends and injury data; develops strategies to reduce lost time and improve program effectiveness.
• Interprets and communicates federal, state, local, and District laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Monitors and interprets changes in workers’ compensation laws, regulations, and best practices, communicating implications and impacts to the Board of Directors, executive management, District staff, and relevant external stakeholders to ensure compliance and informed decision-making.

Requirements

• Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in human resources, business administration, public administration, or a related field.
• Six years of increasingly responsible experience in human resources administration, labor administration, workers’ compensation administration, disability management administration, or a closely related field, including three (3) years of supervisory experience.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a self-insured workers’ compensation program in a public agency, transit, utility, construction, or other high-exposure environment.
• Experience overseeing Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) including reserve review, litigation strategy coordination, and performance accountability.
• Experience leading a modified duty / return-to-work program.
• Experience working collaboratively with other departments on complex or high-risk cases.
• Experience analyzing injury trends, lost time data, and claim cost drivers to develop prevention and cost containment strategies.
• Experience with Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), including coordinating or participating in mediation, arbitration, or other dispute resolution processes related to workers’ compensation claims.