Bilingual Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources Specialist, Employee Relations & Compliance

The Human Resources Specialist, Employee Relations & Compliance reports to the Senior Director of Human Resources and plays a vital role in the daily operations of a large, multi-funded nonprofit agency. This position focuses on building and maintaining positive, equitable, and legally compliant employee relationships across the organization, reflecting the agency's core values of Joy, Amor, Esperanza, Equity, Fuerza, Dignity, and Inclusión.

The HR Specialist ERC plays a vital role in fostering a fair, responsive, and inclusive workplace culture at Sonoma CAN. With a primary focus on Spanish-speaking staff and line-level employees, this role supports complex employee relations, owns the management of leave and accommodation processes including Workers Compensation claims, leads workplace safety follow-ups, and ensures compliance with employment laws and internal policies.

This role is highly independent, multi-faceted, and requires significant working knowledge in all aspects of California Human Resources.

As a key contributor to the HR team, the Specialist builds trust across the agency by handling sensitive issues with care, facilitating collaborative solutions, and providing steady guidance to both employees and managers. This role reflects Sonoma CAN's values and leadership principles while ensuring that HR policies and practices protect staff, support equity, and uphold legal compliance.

In the future, this position may also share responsibility for supervising and developing an HR Administrative Assistant in collaboration with the HR Specialist:
Employee Experience & Development, ensuring aligned priorities, meaningful mentorship, and high standards of support across the department.

This role is primarily onsite at our administrative offices, with occasional work from home (approximately 1 day per week).

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Serves as a trusted HR partner and liaison for staff, with a primary focus on Spanish-speaking employees, offering timely, respectful, and confidential support to address questions, concerns, and feedback.
• Supports positive workplace culture by acting as a bridge between employees and managers to strengthen communication, engagement, and mutual understanding.
• Leads or co-facilitates conversations with management regarding performance concerns, including coaching, progressive discipline, and role reevaluation; identifies and recommends development supports such as EAP, coaching, or additional training.
• Administers and monitors performance improvement plans for entry- to mid-level staff in collaboration with supervisors, ensuring clear expectations, documented progress, and follow-through support.
• Manages layoff, termination, and rehire processes for seasonal and cyclical roles, ensuring alignment with policy, communication with impacted staff, and coordination with program leadership.
• Partner with HR related vendors to organize and schedule employee facing development and information sessions and training.
• Leads or participates in internal investigations and supports workers' compensation eligibility reviews in coordination with the Senior HR Director.
• Manages all aspects of employee leaves of absence including FMLA, CFRA, PFL, PDL, and workers' compensation, evaluating eligibility, coordinating documentation, and maintaining consistent communication with employees and supervisors throughout the process.
• Leads the interactive accommodations process in accordance with ADA and state laws, guiding employees and managers through request, documentation, and implementation steps with care and compliance.
• Supports agency safety efforts by participating in audits, leading follow-ups on workplace accidents, coordinating OSHA log reporting, and serving as a liaison to the workers' compensation claims adjuster and treating physicians to track employee recovery and return-to-work status.
• Collaborates with Senior HR Director to ensure agency-wide compliance with California and federal labor laws; contributes to policy updates and internal HR documentation.
• Maintains an active role in agency HRIS…