Employee Relations Specialist; Associate or Specialist Level

Position: Employee Relations Specialist (Associate or Specialist Level)
At Alaska Communications, we’re committed to putting our
** team first**, always being
** customer focused**, having a
** can-do attitude**,
** owning our results
** and always
** acting with integrity
**** Compensation range for this position
** Level I: $73,832 - $97,148

Level II: $82,747 - $108,877
*** We are unable to support remote international applicants or routinely sponsor work visas
*** This role is offered at a level 1 or level 2, depending on experience.#
** POSITION SUMMARY
** Under minimal direction and exercising substantial independent discretion, the Employee Relations Specialist level I or level II (depending on experience), performs advanced professional level work in support of a wide variety of Human Resources activities within the Company with significant emphasis on employee and labor relations contract management and administration, grievance administration, performance management, discipline administration, employment law compliance, and worker health and safety.#

** ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**##
** Reasonable Accommodations Statement
** To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.##
** Examples of

Job Duties
*** Administers or serves as Company HR subject matter expert for compliance with one or more of the following legal required programs: federal drug testing program, CDL/medical card management, Family and Medical Leave, ADA, and other related programs. Exercises case management responsibility in situations involving conflict or overlap between statutes, contract provisions, Company policies and procedures, such as responding to a return-to-work request of an individual covered by ADA, and Family Medical Leave: review documents and guides;

researches; interviews employees, appropriate venders, resources, manager, and other relevant people; initiates and takes action to resolve the issue with the manager’s assistance.
* Ensures compliance with labor laws, regulations and organizational policies.
* Interpret, explain, and apply terms of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA); explain contract terms, past practices, and Human Resource related policies and procedures to employees and managers. Facilitate contract changes and exceptions to the contract with the Union when in the Company’s best interests. Educate managers on fundamentals of progressive discipline, due process requirements, and complaint and grievance procedures. Advises and leads managers with employee or work unit reallocations or reorganizations which involve changes in bargaining unit work, job classification, staff realignment, or other similar issues which require union involvement or union notification in accordance with the CBA.
* Independently, or in partnership with the manager, conducts fact-finding investigations on the full range of employee performance issues, alleged misconduct, and complaints and grievances, regularly including issues involving the potential for discipline (e.g., suspension, demotion, etc.) or termination or issues that may involve filing with outside compliance agencies such as the State of Alaska Labor and Workforce Development, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Alaska Commission on Human Rights, or a court of law.

Fact-finding requires identification and interviewing of potential witnesses, collection and analysis of relevant documents and material, identification of violations, education of managers on policy and the CBA; evaluation of findings and determination of appropriate outcome, preparation and delivery of investigative and disciplinary and/or dismissal reports and letters.
* Development and implementation of programs to enhance employee satisfaction, engagement and retention.
* Participate in identification of Human Resource related training needs and resources; develop focused, formal structured training materials, modules and courses on professional Human Resource topics; revise and update existing materials; deliver courses in-person or in a Microsoft Teams setting.
*…