Human Resources Generalist

Position Overview

Our client seeks an experienced Human Resources Generalist to support retail store teams by serving as the primary contact for employee relations, benefits administration, and HR operations. The assignment begins immediately and is expected to continue through January 2027, covering an employee leave. The role requires working four days in the office with one day remote and offers hourly compensation ranging from $60 to $65 based on experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the main HR partner for retail stores, handling daily people-related questions and concerns.
• Address associate relations issues such as performance challenges, conduct, and workplace conflicts.
• Conduct workplace investigations thoroughly and objectively with documentation, collaborating with leadership and legal when needed.
• Coach store managers on performance management and best practices for corrective actions and documentation.
• Work with store leaders to identify and improve employee morale, retention, and engagement.
• Support both voluntary and involuntary employee offboarding processes.
• Ensure uniform application of company policies across all stores and escalate policy questions appropriately.
• Serve as benefits resource, guiding associates on medical, dental, vision, 401(k), leave programs, and other benefits.
• Help associates and managers navigate leave of absence programs including FMLA, paid family leave, disability accommodations, and more.
• Coordinate with benefits carriers and administrators to resolve escalated issues promptly.
• Analyze workforce data such as headcount, turnover, and absenteeism to provide actionable insights to leadership.
• Collaborate with Payroll for resolving timekeeping and pay-related inquiries.
• Participate in People Team projects like policy updates, compliance training rollouts, and process improvements.

Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of experience as an HR Generalist or HR Business Partner, with a minimum of 2 years supporting retail, hospitality, or distributed hourly environments.
• Strong understanding of federal and state employment laws including FMLA, ADA, Title VII, FLSA, and NLRA.
• Proven experience handling employee relations and conducting workplace investigations.
• Experience administering benefits and managing leave of absence programs.
• Proficient with HRIS systems (such as Workday, UKG, ADP) and Microsoft Office/Google Workspace tools.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to foster trust across organizational levels.
• Sound judgment, maintaining confidentiality, and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced setting.
• Willing to travel to various retail locations as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field or equivalent practical experience.
• Professional HR certification such as PHR or SHRM-CP.
• Experience working with multi-state workforce and familiarity with state-specific leave regulations (e.g., NY Paid Family Leave, CA Paid Disability Leave, NJ Family Leave Insurance).
• Previous experience in retail or consumer brand environments.