HR Specialist; Madison, WI Area)

Carex is partnering with a Manufacturing industry partner to hire an HR Specialist responsible for delivering comprehensive human resources administration across the employee lifecycle for a multi-state workforce of hourly manufacturing and salaried employees. This salaried, exempt position plays a critical role in managing onboarding, employee changes, terminations, HRIS data integrity, and payroll support while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Approximately 25% of this role focuses on payroll administration, including wage garnishments, pay increase approvals, payroll reporting, and manual check processing. The ideal candidate brings strong HR administration experience, working payroll knowledge, exceptional attention to detail, and a service-oriented mindset.

This position offers a hybrid work arrangement with four days onsite and one day remote per week and the opportunity to collaborate closely with HR leadership, Payroll, Finance, Benefits, and Operations teams to drive continuous improvement and support a positive employee experience.

Employee Lifecycle & HR Administration

• Prepare and issue offer letters in collaboration with hiring managers and HR leadership, ensuring accuracy of compensation, job titles, and start dates.

• Coordinate new hire onboarding, including pre-employment requirements, documentation, I-9 and E-Verify completion, HRIS setup, and orientation scheduling.

• Prepare, review, and process Personnel Action Forms (PAFs) for new hires, compensation adjustments, promotions, transfers, leaves, and employment status changes.

• Manage employee separations, including termination documentation, final pay coordination, benefits notifications, equipment returns, and exit processing.

• Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential employee records and HRIS data in accordance with applicable regulations and organizational policies.

Payroll Administration & Support

• Maintain payroll spreadsheets and ensure employee changes, new hires, terminations, and compensation adjustments are accurately reflected each pay period.

• Coordinate payroll approvals for pay increases, verifying proper authorization and effective dates.

• Administer child support orders and wage garnishments, including setup, remittance, tracking, and communication with agencies and employees.

• Prepare and distribute payroll reports to HR, Finance, and Operations leadership.

• Prepare and distribute manual payroll checks while maintaining accurate documentation and appropriate internal controls.

• Support payroll processing cycles, audits, reconciliations, and year-end activities.

Compliance, Collaboration & Employee Support

• Support compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, wage and hour regulations, and organizational policies.

• Partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, Benefits, and Operations to ensure accurate employee information and efficient HR administration.

• Serve as a trusted resource for employees and leaders, responding to HR and payroll inquiries with professionalism, accuracy, and responsiveness.

• Support internal and external audits through accurate recordkeeping, documentation, and reporting.

• Participate in cross-functional projects and initiatives that support operational excellence and organizational objectives.

Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Utilize HRIS and payroll systems to maintain data integrity, process employee transactions, and generate accurate reports.

• Identify opportunities to streamline HR and payroll processes, strengthen internal controls, and improve administrative efficiency.

• Support automation initiatives and implement best practices to enhance accuracy and consistency.

• Develop, document, and maintain standard operating procedures for HR administration and payroll…