Employee Relations Consultant

Employee Relations Consultant - Open Rank Overview

Employee Relations Consultant
:
Under the direction of the Director of Employee Relations, the Employee & Labor Relations Consultant provides guidance, support and expertise in employee and labor relations matters to include discipline, coaching, performance management, HR policy interpretation, and collective bargaining agreement application. Key objectives include ensuring legal compliance and adherence to UMass Chan policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements are met in a consistent, objective and fair fashion.

The consultant provides guidance to managers and employees on employee and labor relations issues, investigates formal complaints, makes recommendations on UMass Chan's response, and ensures legal requirements are met to minimize liability to UMass Chan. The position collaborates with other HR team members to address organizational needs and contributes to a range of projects to implement HR strategies such as organizational behavior, change management, and policy implementation.

The Employee & Labor Relations Consultant is a driver of HR functional excellence and continuous process improvement.

Sr Employee Relations Consultant
:
Under the direction of the Director of Employee & Labor Relations, the Senior Employee Relations Consultant provides guidance, support and expertise in employee relations matters to include discipline, coaching, performance management, and HR policy interpretation. Key objectives include ensuring legal compliance and adherence to UMass Chan S policies and procedures are met in a consistent, objective and fair fashion. The consultant provides guidance to managers and employees on employee relations issues, investigates formal complaints, makes recommendations on UMass Chan's response, and ensures legal requirements are met to minimize liability.

The position collaborates with other HR team members to address organizational needs and contributes to a range of projects to implement HR strategies such as organizational behavior, change management, and policy implementation.

Cover letter preferred.

Employee Relations Consultant Responsibilities:

• Performs contract administration and interpretation, grievance processing, preparation of disciplinary action, participation in labor‑management committees, impact bargaining sessions, and training.
• Coaches and counsels management and staff on the performance management process.
• Interprets and applies UMass Chan policies and procedures, applicable federal and state laws and regulations to decisions impacting employer‑employee relations.
• Proactively minimizes organizational exposure by ensuring consistent application and interpretation of contractual provisions and related human resources policies.
• Partners with and serves as a resource to employees and managers to promote and maintain positive employee and labor relations.
• Develops and maintains good working relationships with UMass Chan's labor representatives.
• Provides managers with expert technical assistance, problem‑solving, letter writing and early intervention with labor relations/employee relations issues.
• Manages and resolves sensitive and complex employee & labor relations matters.
• Administers various meetings and hearings; schedules, prepares for and participates in hearings and arbitrations; communicates and corresponds with unions, UMass Chan leaders, the University of Massachusetts, UMass Chan's clinical partners and other Labor & Employee Relations Consultants.
• Conducts investigations regarding potential misconduct and violations of UMass Chan policy.
• Writes comprehensive fact‑finding reports on investigative findings.
• Participates in employee training programs as required.
• Ensures the employee & labor relations case management systems are accurate and complete.
• Partners and collaborates with other HR centers of excellence to deliver optimal service to the customer.
• In consultation with the Director of Employee Relations:
  • Prepares proposals, counter proposals, costing information and other information and documentation necessary for contract negotiations and participates in negotiations.
  • Investi…