HR Associate

FLSA Status: Salary Exempt

Position Type: Full time

Department: Human Resources

Job Level: Grade (3)

Pay Range: $87,500 - $95,275

Reports To: Human Resources Director

About Earth Island Institute:

Earth Island Institute (EII) is a leading nonprofit environmental organization that has been at the forefront of efforts to protect the environment and its inhabitants for over forty years. EII supports grassroots activists through a powerful network of approximately 80 sponsored projects working in the United States and around the world. EII's projects safeguard forests, oceans, and wildlife; support youth and women’s environmental leadership and underserved communities; combat climate change; and promote environmental justice, sustainability, and resilience. EII further advances, informs, and inspires action through the New Leaders Initiative and its annual Brower Youth Awards, which provides youth leadership recognition and mentoring; Earth Island Journal, which provides unparalleled coverage of global environmental news and perspectives, both in a quarterly print issue and in daily stories online; and Earth Island Advocates, which uses the law to fight for the planet and its inhabitants. For more information, please visit earthisland.org.

Position Overview:

HR Associate will manage all employee requests for leave and reasonable accommodations in

accordance with statutory regulations, and policy. Additional responsibilities within the realm

of health insurance, retirement, and other employee benefit programs.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Communicates with employees regarding all types of leave requests and/or reasonable accommodation requests.
• Ensures that employees are aware of their rights and responsibilities and of any documentation and notice required to qualify for and to take leave.
• Ensures that all requests are responded to in a timely way, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, policies and practices.
• Provides high-touch and responsive, timely customer service in a high-volume environment.
• Handles the FMLA leave administration process from the employee’s initial notice of the need or leave to the return to work. This includes gathering and completing all required documentation, determining leave eligibility, designating leave as FMLA-qualifying, requesting medical certification as needed, and accounting for intermittent leave use.
• Maintains communication with employees on leave and their managers to facilitate smooth and timely return to work; relays communication between employees and their managers during leave within reason.
• Advises managers and employees on the interaction of leave laws with paid time off, workers’ compensation, California PFL and other state benefits.
• Maintains complete and accurate records of leave and accommodation requests in accordance with specified legal requirements and documentation of best practices.
• Works closely with Human Resources Support Associate in entering leave status updates and applying paid time off in the HR information management system as appropriate for employees on approved leaves.
• Vigilantly maintains confidentiality of employee documentation and files in accordance with applicable regulations, and ensures that all communications regarding medical information are handled in a compliant manner.
• Works in a highly collaborative way with other HR team members, including HR Director to ensure that the highest quality of customer service is delivered to all constituents in a timely and empathetic manner.
• Maintains knowledge of all applicable leave and accommodation laws including the FMLA, ADA, and state and local laws.
• Coordinates the administration of the Worker’s Compensation program; processes the intake of all worker’s compensation documentation, including injury reports and details, witness reports and other pertinent documentation and monitors the need for additional forms and physician reports.
• Assist in talent acquisition and recruitment processes
• Help organize training & development initiatives
• Provide support to employees in various HR-related topics such as leaves and compensation and resolve any issues that may arise
• Promote HR programs to create an efficient and conflict-free workplace
• Assist in development and implementation of human resource policies
• Undertake tasks around performance management
• Organize annual employee performance reviews
• Maintain employee files and records in electronic and paper form
• Enhance job satisfaction by resolving issues promptly, applying new perks and benefits and organizing team building activities
• Performs other duties as assigned.

We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, including women and people of color, to apply. Research has shown that these groups are often less likely to apply unless they meet 100% of the listed qualifications. At Earth Island, we value diversity and believe that a range of perspectives contributes to our success. If you have at least 60% of the qualifications listed and a growth mindset, we encourage you to submit your application.

Required Skills/Abilities/Competencies:

• Ability to meet with employees in person and virtually as needed to accomplish goals.
• Work in the office required three days per week; remote work is permitted up to two
• days per week, to be scheduled in consultation with management.
• Knowledge of various software applications, including Microsoft Office
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret contracts
• Ability to explain the procedures, guidelines and policies governing benefits and leave
• administration;
• Ability to deal effectively with a wide range of constituencies, including employees,
• managers and directors;
• Ability to maintain confidential matters and respond to written, telephone and direct
• walk-in inquiries;
• Ability to initiative and follow through on projects and special assignments;
• Ability to work effectively, handle multiple tasks simultaneously and adjust to changing office priorities and deadlines;
• Ability to prioritize work and track status/completion of tasks;
• Ability to work in a team environment;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and problem solving skills;
• Completion of specialized certification or training on FMLA/leave administration a plus.

Supervisory Responsibilities and/or Key Relationships:

• No supervisory responsibilities.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible relevant experience required.

Other duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.

Work Hours, Working Styles, Travel Requirements, and Additional Benefits:

• For those staff in the San Francisco Bay Area, we are 2 days/week in-office hybrid at the Earth Island Institute office in Berkeley, California.

Compensation:

A salary within the range of $87,500 - $95,275 will be provided to the successful candidate having met the minimum requirements for the position, consistent with the Earth Island Institute compensation philosophy. Earth Island Institute has adopted a compensation philosophy and set of practices to promote equity, remove bias - whether implicit or explicit - in the salary adjustment process, and to promote transparency around salaries. Each position has a grade and has a corresponding range of pay based on market pay practices and an employee’s tenure in a job. The candidate’s exact placement will be determined based on factors consistent with Earth Island Institute’s compensation philosophy. Full benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, 13 paid holidays per year, a week-long winter break, paid vacation and sick leave, and a 401(k) plan with employer match.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement:

Earth Island Institute provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Earth Island Institute is committed to our role in addressing barriers to engagement as we work collectively toward a future of environmental well-being for all. We value diversity and inclusion, and we look forward to reviewing applications from all who are qualified to apply.

Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. If you seek an accommodation, please advise in writing at the time you apply.