Employee Relations Partner

Salem Health Hospitals & Clinics; Salem (OR); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics is seeking an Employee Relations Partner to collaborate with mid-level and frontline leaders in Salem, Oregon. This exempt, full-time role focuses on proactive employee relations, investigations, and policy-aligned guidance to foster a positive work environment.

Responsibilities include leading complex investigations, training on HR topics, and partnering with departments to enhance engagement while ensuring legal compliance and consistent policy application

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or relevant experience in employee relations.
• Two years of ER experience with frontline leaders and staff, or six years without degree.

Responsibilities

• Guides frontline leaders with performance-based actions on employee relations.
• Partners with departments to address issues from a systemic perspective.
• Provides training on harassment, discrimination, corrective action, and coaching.
• Consults with assigned customer groups on employee relations initiatives.
• Ensures compliance with employment laws and organizational policies.
• Leads and conducts complex workplace investigations.
• Reviews legal inquiries and information requests.
• Monitors practices for compliance across departments.
• Supports continuous improvement using lean problem-solving in HR.

Skills

Relationship building

Influence

Analytical skills

Judgment

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

US:OR:Salem | Human Resources | Full Time

Posted yesterday

Description

Location:Salem Hospital, 890 Oak Street SE, Salem, Oregon 97301 Department:Human Resources Position Type:Full Time, 40 hours/week, Exempt Schedule:8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday, primarily on-site Your role with us

The Employee Relations Partner (ERP) collaborates with mid-level and frontline leaders to proactively identify, address, and support employee relations matters, serving as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on positive employee relations practices. This role partners closely with frontline staff and leaders across assigned customer and service areas, to foster an engaged workforce and a positive employment experience.

The ERP independently leads and partners with others on complex workplace investigations, gathering and analyzing facts, assessing risk, and providing well-supported findings and recommendations in alignment with employment laws, regulations, and organizational policies. The ideal candidate has demonstrated experience conducting employment investigations and navigating sensitive employee relations issues with professionalism, objectivity, and sound judgment.

What you'll do

• Guides frontline leaders with performance-based actions on employee relations related to employee conduct and corrective action documentation, decisions, and processes.
• Recommends solutions that align with Salem Health culture to address issues from a systematic perspective while prioritizing employee experiences to maintain a professional, respectful work environment.
• Provides fundamental tactical training on employee relations topics such as harassment, discrimination, corrective action and coaching, conflict resolution to ensure compliance with laws, rules, and regulations related to employment and applicable Federal, State and local laws, rules and regulations. Participates, as needed, in delivering leadership development training.
• Serves as a consultative partner to assigned customer groups, related to various key initiatives on an ongoing basis, with particular emphasis on people issues and positive employee relations and employee engagement.
• Proactively partners with departments to ensure smooth transitions and communications within assigned areas.
• Continuously gauges the employee experience within assigned departments; identifies and facilitates interventions and mediation strategies as needed to ensure employee satisfaction and retention.
• Uses lean problem solving to contribute to process improvement work within HR.
• Review and respond to legal inquiries and other information requests from outside entities.
• Monitors practices to ensure customer departments comply with laws rules and regulations related to employment.
• Leads and conducts complex workplace and employment-related investigations, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, organizational policies, and established procedures.

Required qualifications

• Bachelors Degree and or relevant experience.
• Two years of experience in conjunction with educational requirement or six years of experience (without educational requirement) providing employee relations related support and consultation to frontline leaders and team members (both exempt and non exempt).

Additional information

• Hospital or healthcare system setting experience preferred.
• Must have strong relationship building skills and ability to influence.
• Must have excellent analytical/research skills and the ability to make critical judgments based on information in sensitive employee relation areas to achieve resolution of moderately complex issues within legal constraints and a consistent application of organizational policies
• Availability to provide support within a 24/7 operation across multiple worksites (including nights, weekends, and ability to commute between worksites during any given workday).

Salem Health's comprehensive benefits package prioritizes your mental and physical health, financial stability, family obligations, and professional growth.

Why Salem Health?

Salem Health is a Top Workplace in Oregon, known for fostering a supportive culture where your contributions truly matter. As an award-winning, independent health care system, we serve our region through Salem Hospital, multiple community clinics and West Valley Hospital, ensuring broad access to high-quality care.

We believe in empowering our teams. Through Lean principles, staff help drive innovation and solve real problems. We also invest in your growth with professional development, tuition assistance, and clear career pathways. At Salem Health, you’ll find more than a job, you’ll find purpose, connection, and room to thrive.

Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status or condition protected by law.

Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for applicants. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [e-mail].