Employee Relations Specialist

Covista; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match

Flexible Time Off (FTO)

12 Paid Holidays

Job summary

A leading educational organization in healthcare is seeking an Employee Relations Specialist. This role involves managing sensitive ADA matters while providing expert consultation to leadership. Responsibilities include advising on policy interpretation, performance management, and conducting workplace investigations. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's Degree, significant HR experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to resolve conflicts effectively. This position offers competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, including health insurance and a 401k plan.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in HR with exposure to employee relations.
• One to two years managing ADA, FMLA and LOA administration required.
• Experience with EEO, FMLA and ADA claims required.

Responsibilities

• Manage ADA and LOA matters independently and collaboratively.
• Provide consultative support on performance management.
• Advise managers on disciplinary actions and performance evaluations.
• Support senior leaders with workplace investigations.

Skills

Excellent communications

Interpersonal skills

Conflict resolution

Problem-solving

Facilitation skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

PHR/SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP

Job description

About Covista

Covista is America's largest healthcare educator, serving more than 97,000 students and supported by a community of 385,000 alumni across five accredited institutions. Through personalized, tech‑enabled education powered by 10,000 faculty and colleagues, Covista expands access to healthcare careers and addresses the U.S. healthcare workforce shortage at scale. Covista is the parent company of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University. Our colleagues come from a wide range of backgrounds, business, academia, healthcare, government and nonprofits, and are part of a culture where doing exceptional work and making a meaningful difference for students and society aren't separate goals—they're one and the same. This means creating an environment where colleagues can develop new skills, build careers that match their ambitions and see the tangible impact of their work on healthcare education and workforce development. We operate on a hybrid schedule with four in‑office days per week (Monday–Thursday), enhancing creativity, innovation, communication and relationship building, fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment. For more information, visit covista.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Job Description

Under the direction of Senior Management, the Employee Relations Specialist is responsible for managing a caseload of sensitive and escalated matters related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as overseeing leave of absence (LOA) administration. The Specialist provides subject matter expertise to leaders and colleagues on these topics and regularly advises managers on how to address related issues. Additional responsibilities include providing guidance on policy interpretation, performance management, conflict resolution, and conduct concerns. The role emphasizes proactive coaching and risk mitigation to support effective leadership. Under the guidance of senior team members, the Specialist may assist with investigations involving harassment, discrimination, and policy violations, contributing to resolution strategies and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Key contributor for resolution of ADA and Leave of Absence (LOA) matters through a collaborative and solutions‑oriented approach, exercising independent judgment while maintaining consistency in policy application and compliance with applicable laws.
• Serves as a strategic liaison between management, colleagues, the Coaching Resource Center (CRC), and askHR teams, independently assessing and guiding resolution strategies for complex ADA and LOA cases.
• Manages a high-volume portfolio of ADA, FMLA, and LOA cases, ensuring timely and compliant resolution; applies discretion in identifying cases requiring escalation and engages senior leadership as appropriate.
• Provides consultative support on performance management matters, advising leaders on differentiating between performance, behavioral, and conduct-related issues and determining appropriate next steps.
• Advises managers on managing time, attendance, and leave‑related issues; drafts or reviews disciplinary actions, development plans, and performance evaluations to ensure alignment with organizational standards and employment law.
• Coaches leaders on delivering constructive feedback and performance‑based communications that promote accountability and engagement.
• Serves as a trusted advisor supporting senior leaders with investigations related to workplace concerns, including allegations of harassment or discrimination, and develops recommendations for fair and legally sound resolutions.
• Collaborates with leadership to identify skill gaps and recommend targeted training and development opportunities through the Covista online learning portal.
• Provides high‑level customer service and professional guidance to leaders and colleagues, ensuring timely responses and effective issue resolution while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.
• Ensures thorough and accurate documentation of case activity and outcomes within the case management system to support data integrity and compliance reporting.
• Utilizes conflict resolution techniques to de‑escalate sensitive issues, facilitate dialogue, and mediate colleague complaints to a positive resolution.
• Exercises discretion in assessing risk, escalating complex or high-impact issues to the Practice Leader for review and consultation.
• Educates managers and colleagues on the intent and practical application of employment laws, organizational policies, and best practices to mitigate risk and promote a compliant, inclusive workplace culture.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required; Master's Degree preferred.
• PHR, SHRM‑CP, SHRM‑SCP preferred.
• Employment law coursework or training preferred.
• 4+ years of experience in HR with exposure to a wide range of employee relations issues, with one to two years specifically managing ADA, FMLA and LOA administration required.
• Experience with claims and disputes such as EEO, FMLA and ADA required.
• Excellent communications, training, interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Strong facilitation, mediation, problem‑solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Good business acumen and writing skills.
• Skill in analyzing human resource and management problems and devising effective solutions.

Additional Information

In support of the pay transparency laws enacted across the country, the expected salary range for this position is between $72,000.00 – $82,000.00. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job‑related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. The position qualifies for the following benefits. For more information related to our benefits, visit https://careers.covista.com/benefits

• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Participation in Covista’s Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays

Equal Opportunity – Minority / Female / Disability / V / Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation