Employee Relations Specialist

Curana Health; Deutschland; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A national leader in healthcare services is seeking an Employee Relations Specialist to manage employee relations issues in a multistate environment. The role involves supporting investigations, ensuring compliance with policies and laws, and acting as a resource for employee relations matters. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in human resources or related field, 2-4 years of relevant experience, and strong communication and organizational skills. This position primarily offers remote work, with occasional travel required.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in HR, employee relations, compliance, or investigations.
• Experience in a multistate healthcare or regulated environment preferred.
• Knowledge of laws and HR best practices, such as FLSA and ADA.

Responsibilities

• Support employee relations matters and investigations.
• Manage employee relations cases from report to resolution.
• Collaborate with legal and compliance on escalated issues.

Skills

Written and verbal communication skills

Documentation and organization skills

Independently exercising judgment

Knowledge of employment laws

Case-management skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

HRIS

Workday

Job description

AtCuranaHealth, our mission is to radically improve the health, happiness, and dignity of seniors nationwide. As a national leader in value-based care, we partner with senior living and skilled nursing communities to enhance outcomes, streamline operations, and create new financial opportunities. Our 1,000+ clinicians serve over 1,500 communities across 33 states, driving rapid growth and setting new standards for high-risk, underserved populations.

To further this incredible mission,we’rereimagining what it means to be a People team—moving beyond traditional HR to become an engine of innovation and impact. Our mandate is clear: we are a product team with an internal customer – we must design intentional, scalable provider experiences and build agile systems that keep pace with and fuel the rapid growth of the organization.

Imagine being part of a lean, dynamic HR team where your ideas and initiatives directly contribute to meaningful improvements in healthcare, surrounded by a tight-knit crew who genuinely care about each other and are obsessed with caring for one of our most vulnerable populations.

Summary

If you thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and want your work to matter every single day,you’ll fit right in as our Employee Relations Specialist. We value hands‑on execution, strategic vision, systems thinking and building —andwe’re looking for passionate professionals who are eager to make a difference, embrace challenges, and help us set new standards for employee experience and healthcare delivery.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The Employee Relations Specialist plays a critical role in supporting CuranaHealth’s commitment to a respectful, compliant, and high-trust workplace. This individual contributor partners closely with managers, HR colleagues, and employees to address employee relations matters, support investigations, and ensure consistent application of company policies and employment practices across a multistate healthcare environment.

This role is ideal for someone who is highly organized, detail‑oriented, and comfortable navigating sensitive situations with professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment. The Employee Relations Specialist exercises independent judgment and discretion in evaluating employee relations issues, recommending appropriate courses of action, and supporting consistent, legally compliant outcomes. While this role does not make final employment decisions, it plays a key advisory role in disciplinary and termination‑related matters.

Employee Relations Support & Case Management

• Act as a trusted go‑to HR resource for employee relations matters, navigating policy interpretation, mediating workplace disputes, and driving performance improvement conversations.
• Own the intake, documentation, and hands‑on management of employee relations cases from the initial report to final resolution—ensuring prompt follow‑through, strategic escalation, and impeccable records every step of the way.
• Lead fact‑finding efforts and actively participate in investigations of employee complaints, policy breaches, and workplace concerns, all while adhering to proven protocols and escalation pathways.
• Craft concise, objective investigation summaries, articulate findings and clear recommendations, and maintain thorough supporting documentation.
• Collaborate closely with managers, equipping them with actionable guidance and recommendations for corrective actions—whether it’s coaching sessions, formal warnings, or preparing for terminations.
• Deliver strategic guidance on disciplinary actions and termination decisions, ensuring management and Employee Relations leadership have the insight needed for final calls and execution.
• Identify patterns and recurring themes in employee relations cases, surfacing actionable insights and trends to HR leadership to proactively mitigate risks and drive continuous improvement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with HR Operations, Benefits & Leave, and HR Business Partners to seamlessly resolve employee concerns that span multiple HR disciplines.
• Partner directly with Legal, Compliance, or outside counsel on escalated employee relations issues, ensuring expert guidance and risk mitigation.
• Support audits, reporting, and internal data requests, supplying accurate and insightful information related to employee relations activity.

Continuous Improvement & Documentation

• Drive the creation, updating, and optimization of employee relations SOPs, templates, and playbooks to promote best practices at every turn.
• Contribute to manager resources and deliver training materials on employee relations best practices, policy application, and risk awareness to empower leadership.
• Champion a culture grounded in fairness, respect, accountability, and unwavering compliance with Curana’s values.

Policy Application & Compliance Support

• Champion the consistent application of Curana policies, ensuring every action aligns with federal, state, and local labor laws across all jurisdictions.
• Drive compliance-focused processes involving employee discipline, separations, and workplace conduct, ensuring best practices are always followed.
• Keep meticulous, up‑to‑date documentation in HR systems and case management platforms, maintaining an audit‑ready record of all actions and outcomes.
• Assist in preparing and submitting unemployment claims documentation and responses, working collaboratively with HR Operations or external partners as necessary.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 2–4 years of experience in an HR, employee relations, compliance, or investigations-focused role.
• Experience supporting employee relations matters in a multistate, healthcare, or regulated environment is strongly preferred.
• Healthcare, services, or high‑growth organization experience a plus.

Knowledge & Skills

• Working knowledge of employment laws and HR best practices (e.g., FLSA, ADA, FMLA, antidiscrimination and retaliation laws).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to handle sensitive matters professionally and discreetly.
• Excellent documentation, organization, and case‑management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent cases, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Comfort exercising judgment independently while understanding escalation thresholds and governance boundaries.
• Proficiency with HRIS and case management systems; experience with Workday or similar platforms preferred.

Work Environment & Expectations

• Primarily a remote role with occasional travel as needed for investigations, training, or team meetings.
• Regularly handles confidential and sensitive information requiring a high degree of integrity and discretion.
• Job duties may evolve based on organizational needs.
• Less than 10% travel expected.