Human Resources Business Partner

Embarc; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Embarc is seeking an experienced Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) to serve as a strategic partner across assigned regions, focusing on employee relations, labor relations support, and performance management. The HRBP will ensure CA employment law compliance, onboarding, and workforce stability while coaching managers and guiding policy application.

The role requires strong knowledge of CA labor regulations and union experience is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive HR experience, including employee relations and performance management.
• Experience supporting multi-site or regional operations.
• Working knowledge of California employment laws and labor relations; union experience preferred.
• Multi-Unit retail experience preferred.
• Strong communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary HR partner for employee relations matters, including workplace concerns, investigations, and conflict resolution.
• Advise and guide managers on employee relations issues, ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant application of company policies.
• Conduct or support employee investigations as appropriate, including documentation, findings, and recommendations.
• Identify employee relations risks and elevate complex or high-risk matters in accordance with established procedures.
• Support union-related matters, including coordination and administration of grievances in alignment with collective bargaining agreements.
• Partner with leaders and labor representatives to address workplace issues and support productive labor relationships.
• Ensure documentation and processes related to union matters are consistent and compliant.
• Provide guidance and coaching to managers on performance management, corrective action, and disciplinary processes.
• Support managers in documenting performance issues and applying progressive discipline in a consistent and compliant manner.
• Enable leaders through coaching and education on effective people management practices.
• Support execution of HR policies and procedures in compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Coordinate and complete required employment-related documentation for state agencies, including California EDD filings related to unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and paid family leave.
• Partner with payroll, benefits, and third-party administrators to ensure timely and accurate submissions.
• Respond to agency inquiries, claims, and audits in accordance with company procedures and legal guidance.
• Provide guidance and support for leaves of absence, including FMLA, CFRA, ADA, and applicable state programs.
• Support the interactive process for employee accommodation requests.
• Ensure proper documentation, communication, and coordination with internal teams related to leave and accommodation matters.
• Support and execute employee HR onboarding for assigned districts, ensuring completion of required employment documentation, policy acknowledgements, and system access.
• Serve as an HR point of contact for new employees during onboarding, addressing HR-related questions and concerns.
• Partner with hiring managers, operations, payroll, and benefits teams to ensure onboarding practices are timely, consistent, and compliant.
• Support workforce stability and retention through proactive employee engagement and issue prevention.
• Maintain clear and professional communication with leaders, employees, and HR stakeholders.
• Track, document, and report on employee relations cases, trends, and outcomes.
• Escalate sensitive or complex matters with appropriate context and recommendations.
• Exercise independent judgment and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential employee information.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and professionalism in all employee and business matters.
• Apply sound judgment when evaluating employee relations risks and recommending courses of action.

Skills

Employee relations

Labor relations

Performance management

Compliance

Onboarding

Coaching

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field

Job description

Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP)

Department: Human Resources

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $80,000 to $$95,000

Location: Sacramento, CA (hybrid)

Position Summary

The Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) serves as a strategic and operational partner to leaders and employees across assigned regions. This role is responsible for employee relations, labor relations support, performance management guidance, compliance execution, employee onboarding, and workforce support. The HRBP must have a strong working knowledge of California employment laws and regulations, including leaves of absence, with union and labor relations experience preferred. The HRBP provides coaching and guidance to managers, ensures consistent application of company policies, and supports a compliant, stable, and engaged workforce.

Essential Functions

The following duties are representative of the essential functions of the position and are not exhaustive. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Employee Relations & Issue Resolution

• Serve as the primary HR partner for employee relations matters, including workplace concerns, investigations, and conflict resolution
• Advise and guide managers on employee relations issues, ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant application of company policies
• Conduct or support employee investigations as appropriate, including documentation, findings, and recommendations
• Identify employee relations risks and elevate complex or high-risk matters in accordance with established procedures

Labor & Union Relations Support

• Support union-related matters, including coordination and administration of grievances in alignment with collective bargaining agreements
• Partner with leaders and labor representatives to address workplace issues and support productive labor relationships
• Ensure documentation and processes related to union matters are consistent and compliant

Performance Management, Discipline & Manager Coaching

• Provide guidance and coaching to managers on performance management, corrective action, and disciplinary processes
• Support managers in documenting performance issues and applying progressive discipline in a consistent and compliant manner
• Enable leaders through coaching and education on effective people management practices

Compliance & State Agency Coordination

• Support execution of HR policies and procedures in compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws
• Coordinate and complete required employment-related documentation for state agencies, including California Employment Development Department (EDD) filings related to unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and paid family leave
• Partner with payroll, benefits, and third-party administrators to ensure timely and accurate submissions
• Respond to agency inquiries, claims, and audits in accordance with company procedures and legal guidance

Leaves of Absence & Accommodations

• Provide guidance and support for leaves of absence, including FMLA, CFRA, ADA, and applicable state programs
• Support the interactive process for employee accommodation requests
• Ensure proper documentation, communication, and coordination with internal teams related to leave and accommodation matters

Employee Onboarding & Workforce Support

• Support and execute employee HR onboarding for assigned districts, ensuring completion of required employment documentation, policy acknowledgements, and system access
• Serve as an HR point of contact for new employees during onboarding, addressing HR-related questions and concerns
• Partner with hiring managers, operations, payroll, and benefits teams to ensure onboarding practices are timely, consistent, and compliant
• Support workforce stability and retention through proactive employee engagement and issue prevention

Communication, Reporting & Escalation

• Maintain clear and professional communication with leaders, employees, and HR stakeholders
• Track, document, and report on employee relations cases, trends, and outcomes
• Escalate sensitive or complex matters with appropriate context and recommendations Judgment, Confidentiality & Discretion
  
• Exercise independent judgment and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential employee information
• Maintain strict confidentiality and professionalism in all employee and business matters
• Apply sound judgment when evaluating employee relations risks and recommending courses of action

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive HR experience, including employee relations and performance management
• Experience supporting multi-site or regional operations
• Working knowledge of California employment laws and labor relations; union experience preferred
• Multi-Unit retail experience preferred
• Strong communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills

Additional Requirements

• Ability to travel between assigned districts as needed
• Ability to sit, stand, and work at a computer for extended periods

Other Duties

• Perform other related duties as assigned, consistent with the scope and level of the position