Human Resources Specialist

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center); Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 73,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

EAP

FSA

ORCA subsidy

PTO 34 days/year

Retirement plan

Job summary

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) seeks a Human Resources Specialist to support benefits, leave administration, and data management across the agency. The role also handles recruitment, orientation, training, records, and compensation, focusing on FMLA, disability leave, and ADA accommodations.

The position is full-time, hybrid work in Seattle, with comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, life, and disability coverage, EAP, FSA, ORCA subsidy, PTO, and retirement plan.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Business Administration or equivalent.
• At least 1 year of relevant HR experience.
• Knowledge of personnel, benefits administration and records management.
• Understanding of US HR laws and payroll/benefits regulations.
• Strong computer skills and data confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Manage leaves and accommodations tracking and data entry.
• Coordinate meetings with HR leadership and managers.
• Assist with timesheets and payroll data for leaves.
• Maintain employee medical files and records.
• Provide training materials on FMLA and LOA.
• Liaise with departments and HR partners.

Skills

Communication

Time management

Confidentiality

Customer service

Multicultural competency

Conflict resolution

Education

Bachelor degree in Business Administration or equivalent

Tools

HRIS systems

Payroll systems

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Days Off: Saturday & Sunday

Shift: Office Day

Location: Hybrid WFH and In-Office at 515 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

Insurance Benefits: Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage), Dental, Life, Long-term Disability

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

About DESC:

Recognized nationally as an innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness, DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the needs of people experiencing long-term homelessness and living with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time. Our vision is a community where all people are shown compassion, treated with dignity, and everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs,19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use disorder.

JOB DEFINITION:

The Human Resources Specialist is responsible for providing support to a variety of agency-wide human resources functions. Primary responsibilities are in the areas of benefits and leave and accommodations as outlined below, but the HR Specialist will also perform work relating to all departmental activities, including: recruitment, orientation, training, records and data management, and compensation.

Major Duties And Responsibilities

Leaves and Accommodations

• Tracks and documents employee medical leaves of absence and other FMLA or agency-approved leaves. This includes preparing & sending the initial information packet, following up on submission of required forms, as well as tracking and doing data entry for FMLA/medical leave attendance.
• Coordinates regular meetings with the HR Director and HR Manager, and other agency managers as necessary to discuss the status of employees on leave.
• Assists supervisors and the payroll manager with the timesheets for employees on leave to ensure accurate data entry and processing for compliance with agency policy.
• Communicates regularly with physicians and nurses to obtain documentation and track the progress of employees managing disabilities, with work-related injuries, or on leave.
• Coordinates the interactive agency accommodation process with employees and supervisors.
• Maintains records on all accommodations, both short-term and continuous, producing reports as needed.
• Maintains employee medical files & records.
• Providing guidance, interpretation and consultation for managers on complex leave issues - FMLA, Short/Long-Term disability, leave as an accommodation under the ADA, and other types of LOA.
• Working closely with managers to resolve FMLA issues and identify patterns of absence that may need investigation.
• Designing and delivering training presentations and other resources for managers and departments to educate them about FMLA, disability, leave of absence and other leave topics.
• Participating in regular meetings with departments and HR Business Partners to discuss and resolve department-specific leave issues and trends.
• Providing input to improve FML and LOA processes and procedures based on system and administration needs.
• Upon receipt of LTD claim - verifying employee portions, gathering all necessary data (job description, W-2, payroll data for 12 months, STD records/approval, and supporting documentation of LTD enrollment and deductions) and completing UNUM Employer Statement

Other Duties

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending in-house and external training and development programs as needed.
• Provides ongoing backup support for the benefits administration from start to finish.
• Participates in HRIS data entry and maintenance which includes but is not limited to tracking positions, new hires & terminations, payroll status changes, performance evaluations, training records, updating tables and generating ad hoc reports as required and requested.
• Processes standard employment verifications according to department protocols.
• Act as central liaison for the Human Resources Department when needed, including acting as resource for information to the HR Assistants, supervisors, and staff.
• Maintaining HR office records, both electronic and paper, and integrating several types of software, such as spreadsheet, database, word processing, to generate specific working documents, reports, and forms.
• Conducts the background checks as needed
• Other duties as assigned by the HR Director.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor degree in Business Administration or equivalent degree. Equivalent experience or a combination of education and work experience may be substituted for degree.
• 1 year relevant experience in general human resources required.
• Knowledge of the principles of personnel, benefits administration, personnel files and records management, and effective customer service practices.
• Understanding of HR practices and principles, and all applicable employment, payroll, benefits, health, and safety laws and regulations in the US.
• Strong computer skills in monitoring and assuring the confidentiality and proper maintenance of human resources database, files and reports.
• Skill in assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands. Ability to handle multiple tasks concurrently.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relations with co-workers and others.
• Ability to deal with agitated and angry individuals and resolve conflict effectively.
• Appropriate safeguarding and handling of confidential and proprietary information.
• Demonstrated respect for diversity and commitment to developing multicultural competency sensitivity.
• Subscribe to philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs, and of consideration and respect for clients.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to stand for long periods, climb stairs, sit, communicate with other employees, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 40 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Salary Description

$73,164.00 - $82,797.12