HR Generalist

TaskVerse; United States; On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Automotive and Industrial Distributors of Billings seeks an HR Specialist to manage the day-to-day people operations from our Billings, MT base. You will support hiring, onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, employee records, and compliance across multiple states, ensuring smooth HR operations for branch managers and ownership.

This hands-on role focuses on operational HR functions with Montana employment law as the home base and the ability to manage multi-state rules, confidentiality,

Qualifications

• Three years of experience in HR operations, payroll support, or combined office/HR roles in multi-location or hourly-heavy settings.
• Hands-on Paylocity experience; able to build new hire profiles, process rate changes, payroll, and deductions inquiries independently.
• Knowledge of Montana employment law; apply multi-state rules as needed; strong confidentiality and judgment.

Responsibilities

• Talent Acquisition and Onboarding: post jobs, screen applicants, coordinate interviews, and facilitate offers with hiring managers.
• Payroll Support and Time Management: administer payroll in Paylocity, manage deductions and PTO, and ensure accurate timekeeping.
• Benefits Administration and Employee Records: manage benefits in Paylocity and maintain confidential personnel files.
• Compliance and Employee Relations: stay current on Montana laws, advise managers on documentation, and coordinate required trainings.

Skills

HR operations

Payroll support

Office management

Confidentiality

Compliance

Tools

Paylocity

ADP

UKG

Paychex

Microsoft 365

Job description

About The Company

Automotive and Industrial Distributors of Billings is a well-established, fourth-generation family- and employee-owned wholesale lubricants distributor, founded in 1924 and headquartered in Butte. With a rich history of serving the Northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest regions, the company operates multiple branches across Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, and Washington. Known for its commitment to quality, reliability, and exceptional customer service, Automotive and Industrial Distributors of Billings has built a reputation as a trusted partner for automotive and industrial clients. The company's growth over nearly a century reflects its dedication to innovation, operational excellence, and fostering a collaborative work environment.

About The Company

Automotive and Industrial Distributors of Billings is a well-established, fourth-generation family- and employee-owned wholesale lubricants distributor, founded in 1924 and headquartered in Butte. With a rich history of serving the Northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest regions, the company operates multiple branches across Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, and Washington. Known for its commitment to quality, reliability, and exceptional customer service, Automotive and Industrial Distributors of Billings has built a reputation as a trusted partner for automotive and industrial clients. The company's growth over nearly a century reflects its dedication to innovation, operational excellence, and fostering a collaborative work environment.

About The Role

The HR Specialist position is based in Billings and is pivotal in managing the day-to-day people operations within the organization. This role is designed for a hands-on professional who will support the company's operational needs by building and maintaining reliable HR processes related to hiring, onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, employee records, and compliance across multiple states. The HR Specialist acts as the primary point of contact for managers regarding routine employee-related inquiries, ensuring smooth HR operations that allow branch managers and ownership to focus on core business activities such as customer service, inventory management, and delivery logistics.

This role is not a strategic HR leadership position but rather a specialist role that requires a proactive approach to operational HR functions. The incumbent will ensure adherence to Montana employment laws as the home base while managing the complexities of multi-state employment regulations. Policy decisions, compensation philosophies, and employee relations issues with potential legal implications are reserved for ownership, with the HR Specialist providing support within established guidelines.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have at least three years of experience in HR operations, payroll support, or a combined office management and HR role within a multi-location or hourly-heavy organization. Hands-on experience with Paylocity is essential; the candidate should be familiar with building new hire profiles, processing rate changes, preparing payroll, and resolving deduction or PTO inquiries independently. Equivalent experience with other HR systems such as ADP, UKG, or Paychex is acceptable if the candidate demonstrates the ability to quickly adapt to Paylocity.

A working knowledge of Montana employment law, particularly related to final pay and wrongful discharge statutes, is required or must be developed within the first 60 days. The candidate should be comfortable applying different state rules based on employee work locations outside Montana. Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Excel (with lookups and simple pivots), Word, SharePoint, and Teams, is necessary. A valid driver's license and the ability to visit branches occasionally are also required.

Strong confidentiality skills, sound judgment, and the ability to distinguish between coaching managers and making legal decisions are critical. The candidate should demonstrate a proactive attitude toward learning and compliance, with a focus on supporting operational HR functions effectively.

Talent Acquisition and Onboarding

• Post job openings, screen applicants, coordinate interviews, and facilitate offers with hiring managers across various roles including warehouse staff, drivers, inside sales, and office personnel.


• Implement a standardized onboarding process, including new hire paperwork, I-9 verification, direct deposit setup, benefits enrollment, safety orientation, system access requests, and scheduled check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days.


• Maintain up-to-date job descriptions and interview guides to streamline the hiring process and ensure consistency.


• Coordinate employee offboarding, ensuring final pay processing, benefits termination, equipment retrieval, and exit documentation are completed timely and accurately.

Payroll Support And Time Management

• Administer payroll activities within Paylocity, including new hire setup, status changes, deductions, PTO balances, and terminations, with oversight for review and approval by ownership or finance.


• Audit timesheets and exception reports to identify missing punches, meal break violations, and overtime issues before payroll processing.


• Apply leave policies accurately based on employee work states, ensuring compliance with local laws regarding paid sick leave, family leave, and federal FMLA where applicable.


• Support year-end payroll activities such as W-2 distribution, ACA reporting, and benefits reconciliation.

Benefits Administration And Employee Records

• Manage employee benefits in Paylocity, including open enrollment, new hire enrollment, and benefit changes, and serve as the primary contact for claims and provider inquiries.


• Maintain complete, confidential personnel files, including applications, offer letters, performance notes, and medical information stored separately.


• Ensure compliance with federal and state posting requirements and track acknowledgment completion.

Compliance And Employee Relations

• Stay current with Montana employment laws, including wage payment, wrongful discharge, equal pay, and pregnancy leave regulations, and understand multi-state employment rules.


• Develop and maintain state-specific rule sheets covering final pay, overtime, meal and rest breaks, and required postings.


• Assist with workers' compensation claims and OSHA recordkeeping, ensuring proper documentation and return-to-work procedures.


• Coach managers on documentation, disciplinary actions, and accommodation requests, escalating complex issues to ownership as needed.


• Coordinate mandatory trainings such as harassment prevention and safety orientations, maintaining records of completion.


• Support background checks, drug screenings, and DOT driver-file management in collaboration with operations.