Human Resources Generalist

Sun Pacific; Bakersfield (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Sun Pacific is seeking a Human Resources Generalist to support employees and management across farming, packing, cold-storage, and administrative operations in California.

You will partner with managers, Payroll, Time and Attendance, Safety, and other support functions to ensure timely, compliant HR practices. Eligibility, leaves, recruitment, onboarding, and benefits administration are core focus areas.

Qualifications

• Three or more years of progressive HR experience including employee relations, investigations, leaves, recruiting, or HR administration.
• Experience with CA employment practices and multi-location workforce is strongly preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is highly valued for interaction with a diverse workforce.

Responsibilities

• Act as HR contact for employees and supervisors; respond promptly to questions and concerns.
• Advise managers on policy interpretation, attendance, performance, coaching, and disciplinary actions.
• Coordinate and conduct workplace investigations and prepare summaries and records.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, background checks, and new-hire orientation for regular and seasonal positions.
• Administer and coordinate benefits enrollment, leaves, timekeeping, payroll support, and payroll-related reporting.

Skills

Employee relations

Policy interpretation

Investigations

Spanish language

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR, business administration, or related field

Tools

PickTrace

Job description

The Human Resources Generalist administers a broad range of human resources programs and provides day-to-day support to Company employees and management across farming, harvesting, packing-house, cold-storage, administrative, and related agricultural operations. The position serves as a practical and accessible HR resource; supports consistent application of Company policies; and helps ensure that employment practices are timely, well documented, and compliant with applicable requirements.

The Generalist regularly works at offices, packing facilities, and field locations; responds to workforce needs during seasonal and operational changes; and partners with managers, supervisors, Payroll, Time and Attendance, Safety, and other support functions.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

The Human Resources Generalist reports directly to the Human Resources Manager. Assigned human resources personnel reports to the Human Resources Generalist.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Employee Relations and Management Support

• Serve as an HR contact for Company employees and supervisors, responding promptly and professionally to workplace questions, concerns, and complaints.
• Advise managers and supervisors on policy interpretation, attendance, performance management, coaching, counseling, corrective action, and employment‑separation procedures.
• Conduct or assist with fair, timely, and well‑documented workplace investigations involving misconduct, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace conflict, wage‑and‑hour concerns, and other policy issues.
• Prepare investigation summaries, corrective‑action documents, employee communications, and other records that accurately describe the facts, findings, expectations, and next steps.
• Coordinate approved separations with management, Payroll, and other support functions, including final‑pay timing, separation documentation, return of Company property, access removal, and completion of the separation checklist.
• Promote consistency across departments and locations while recognizing legitimate operational differences and escalating significant or high‑risk matters to HR leadership or legal counsel.

Recruitment Staffing and Onboarding

• Develop, review, and maintain accurate job descriptions in coordination with management and Human Resources leadership.
• Coordinate recruitment and hiring activities for regular, seasonal, temporary, and replacement positions, including job postings, applicant screening, interviews, offers, pre‑employment requirements, and hiring documentation.
• Coordinate approved background checks and other lawful pre‑employment requirements for designated positions and maintain appropriate recruitment records.
• Support seasonal workforce planning for farming, harvesting, packing, cold‑storage, and related operations based on production schedules and business needs.
• Conduct or coordinate new‑hire orientation and ensure that required employment forms, acknowledgments, notices, policies, and training assignments are completed accurately and on time.
• Partner with management to improve employee retention, identify recurring staffing challenges, and support orderly workforce increases, reductions, transfers, and recalls.

Benefits Leaves Accommodations and Employee Support

• Administer or support employee enrollment, eligibility review, changes, notices, open enrollment, and recordkeeping for assigned health, retirement, life insurance, and other Company benefit programs.
• Explain benefit programs and enrollment requirements to employees, research discrepancies, and coordinate corrections with Payroll, plan administrators, and other authorized partners.
• Support benefit participation audits, census reporting, employee notices, and information needed for applicable benefits and Affordable Care Act reporting.
• Administer or coordinate protected leaves, paid sick leave, vacation, disability and Paid Family Leave processes, pregnancy‑related needs, and other authorized absences in accordance with Company procedures.
• Engage employees and management in the interactive process when workplace accommodations may be needed, maintain appropriate documentation, and elevate complex matters for review.
• Provide employees with clear information about applicable HR processes and available resources without making commitments outside the position's authority.
• Maintain confidentiality and limit access to medical, investigation, and other sensitive information to those with a legitimate business need.

Workers Compensation and Safety Coordination

• Respond to or coordinate the initial response and appropriate care for reported workplace injuries and illnesses, including transportation for non‑emergency treatment when required by Company procedure.
• Document and report workers' compensation and first‑aid matters promptly and coordinate with employees, supervisors, Safety, occupational clinics, and the claims administrator.
• Support return‑to‑work, transitional or modified‑duty, work‑restriction, and reasonable‑accommodation processes while maintaining appropriate medical confidentiality.
• Maintain assigned injury, illness, claims, labor‑hour, and Cal/OSHA recordkeeping and reporting accurately and within required timeframes.
• Identify recurring injury or claim‑administration issues and coordinate corrective or preventive action with Human Resources, Safety, and management.

Timekeeping Payroll and Wage and Hour Support

• Support accurate time and attendance practices, including clocking requirements, meal periods, rest periods, overtime authorization, nonproductive time, reporting‑time issues, and correction of timekeeping exceptions.
• Review employee concerns involving hours worked, rates of pay, wage statements, incentives, premiums, deductions, or missing pay and coordinate timely resolution with Payroll and management.
• Use PickTrace and other approved systems to review timekeeping and workforce information, identify recurring exceptions, and help managers implement corrective or preventive measures.
• Reinforce requirements that all work time be recorded accurately and that employees may raise pay or timekeeping concerns without retaliation.

Compliance Policy and Training

• Support compliance with applicable federal, California, and local employment requirements and with Company policies, practices, and recordkeeping standards.
• Assist with required notices, policy distributions, acknowledgments, training assignments, and workplace postings for agricultural, packing‑house, cold‑storage, and office locations.
• Coordinate and deliver new‑hire, pre‑season, refresher, corrective‑action, and supervisor training on respectful workplace expectations, harassment and retaliation prevention, attendance, documentation, workplace violence prevention, timekeeping, and other assigned topics.
• Maintain assigned trainer qualifications and coordinate CPR, first‑aid, or other required certifications when designated by the Company.
• Support responses to agency inquiries, audits, inspections, document requests, and employee claims by gathering accurate records and preserving relevant information.
• Assist with customer, code‑of‑conduct, social‑compliance, and other employment‑related audits, including documentation and corrective‑action follow‑up.
• Report suspected legal, ethical, safety, wage‑and‑hour, or policy violations promptly through the appropriate channels.

HR Administration Records and Reporting

• Maintain accurate employee records in the Human Resources Information System and personnel files, including job, compensation, reporting relationship, status, location, leave, discipline, and separation information.
• Prepare routine and ad hoc reports concerning staffing, turnover, attendance, employee relations, training, investigations, and other workforce trends.
• Assist with EEO‑1, California pay data, benefits, labor‑hour, organizational, and other required or authorized workforce reporting.
• Respond to employment verifications within Company guidelines and route garnishments, levies, and similar orders promptly to Payroll or the responsible function.
• Maintain current employment forms, notices, policy materials, required workplace postings, and assigned compliance binders across supported locations.
• Monitor assigned deadlines and follow‑up items to ensure that employee matters, documentation, and required actions are completed.
• Participate in HR projects, policy implementation, process improvement, audits, and cross‑functional initiatives.
• Perform other duties consistent with the position's purpose and level of responsibility as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Three or more years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including meaningful responsibility for employee relations, investigations, leaves, recruiting, or HR administration.
• Working knowledge of California employment practices and the ability to research, understand, and apply Company requirements and applicable laws.
• Experience supporting a geographically dispersed, seasonal, agricultural, food‑production, manufacturing, distribution, or similarly operational workforce is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct sensitive interviews, assess competing accounts, document facts objectively, and make practical recommendations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate respectfully with employees at all organizational levels.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and HRIS, timekeeping, payroll, applicant‑tracking, or document‑management systems; experience with PickTrace is preferred.
• Valid driver's license, acceptable driving record, and ability to travel regularly among Company locations.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, labor relations, or a related field is preferred. Substantial directly related experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• Professional HR certification, such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM‑CP, SHRM‑SC​P, or comparable certification, is preferred but not required.

LANGUAGE

• Professional fluency in English and Spanish is strongly preferred because the position regularly communicates with a bilingual agricultural workforce. The ability to accurately explain workplace requirements, and conduct training and interviews in Spanish is particularly valuable.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND SCHEDULE

• Work is performed in office, packing house, cold storage, field, ranch, and other agricultural settings, with exposure to operational noise, dust, dirt, uneven terrain, moving equipment, heat, cold, and changing weather conditions.
• The position requires regular presence at assigned Company locations and may require travel throughout Kern, Tulare, Fresno, and other counties in which the Company operates.
• The work schedule may vary based on harvests, packing operations, seasonal staffing, employee needs, investigations, emergencies, or other business requirements. Early‑morning, evening, weekend, or extended hours may occasionally be required.
• Appropriate personal protective equipment and compliance with all site‑specific safety and food‑safety requirements are required when entering operational areas.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Frequently communicates in person, by telephone, and through electronic systems; reviews detailed records; and uses a computer for extended periods.
• Regularly walks and stands in offices, packing facilities, and field locations and may traverse uneven, wet, dusty, or unpaved surfaces.
• Occasionally lifts or carries files, supplies, or equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Must be able to travel by vehicle between work locations and perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND ACCOMMODATION

• The Company provides equal employment opportunities in accordance with applicable law. Reasonable accommodations will be considered for qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position, unless doing so would create an undue hardship or direct threat that cannot be eliminated or reduced through reasonable accommodation.