Job Description

Join one of the nation’s most comprehensive academic medical centers, UChicago Medicine, as an Employee & Labor Relations Consultant. You will promote strategies that improve job performance and make UChicago Medicine a great place to work and practice medicine. This is a hybrid-remote opportunity, and we are seeking candidates who are local to Chicagoland, or willing to relocate.

Job Summary

In this role, you will respond to escalated inquiries from executives, managers and employees relating to particular subject matter expertise. We are looking for an individual who will provide superior customer service to all employees by promptly responding to employee inquiries received via a case management tool.

• You will provide training and support to Tier 1 employee service representatives to ensure compliance with established processes and procedures in an effort to improve service delivery
• Identifying and communicating process improvement opportunities for Tier 1 employee service representatives and the HR user community at large are also key components
• You will escalate unresolved matters to appropriate individuals as necessary and interpret standard administrative procedures and practices to resolve complex employee inquiries or issues 

Essential Job Functions

• Employee Relations Counseling: Providing consultation to leaders and employees in the resolution of escalated employee relations issues in accordance with existing HR policies and procedures. Conducting preliminary interviews, documenting findings/recommendations, and advising leaders of dealing with employee performance issues using disciplinary procedures (e.g. verbal, written warnings or termination).
• Interpretative Guidance on CBAs and HR Policies: In collaboration with the ELR COE, providing interpretative guidance on collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), HR policies and procedures, past practice, employment laws, reductions in force and other regulatory requirements.
• Employee Investigations: Overseeing investigations in response to employee or management incidents or complaints. Conducting high risk or complex investigations requiring extensive investigation and involving unique circumstances.
• Employee Legal Response Support: Developing position statements, other written responses or documentation to employment related charges or claims. Working with legal counsel to prepare required documentation for negotiating and finalizing settlements. Providing arbitration support, including identifying witnesses, producing required documentation and making preliminary risk assessments and settlement recommendations.
• Employee Appeal Procedure: Serving as Step 3 hearing officer for union grievance process, conducting follow up investigations and drafting Step 3 responses.
• Training: Conducting needs assessment and delivery of training on employee relations issues, including CBAs and related HR policies and procedures.
• Severance/Separation Agreements: Coordinating severance agreement preparation in accordance with severance program and policy, calculating payouts and administering claims.
• Employee Relations Tracking: Capturing, organizing and entering employee relations-related data into tracking systems which may include tracing disciplinary action cases.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

You’ll thrive in this position if you:

• Demonstrate PRIDE Values – you actively demonstrate UCMC values in your work and relationships. You encourage others to model the behaviors and proactively identify gaps.
• Make Thoughtful Decisions – you identify issues, problems and opportunities; proactively recognize the need for improvement. You work with others to develop a sense of common purpose; understand different perspectives on issues; gathers and examines information available. You generate alternatives - Create relevant options, including financial and resource implications, for addressing problems and opportunities. You select appropriate action - Formulate clear decision criteria; evaluates options by considering implications and consequences; chooses an effective option. You commit to implementation and work with a sense of urgency and a bias for action to implement the decision.
• Deliver Results – you identify issues, problems and opportunities; proactively recognize the need for improvement. You work with others to develop a sense of common purpose; understand different perspectives on issues; gathers and examines information available. You generate alternatives - Create relevant options, including financial and resource implications, for addressing problems and opportunities. You select appropriate action - Formulate clear decision criteria; evaluates options by considering implications and consequences; chooses an effective option. You commit to implementation and work with a sense of urgency and a bias for action to implement the decision.
• Embrace Change – you treat change and new situations as opportunities for learning or growth; identifies the benefits and risks of change. You quickly modify behavior to deal effectively with changes; remains effective during times of ambiguity and uncertainty. You honor the need in others to ask questions; helps others overcome resistance.
• Communicate with Impact – you focus on the message of others, provide undivided attention, and defer judgment. You convey messages logically, simply, and with confidence. You check for understanding by asking questions, seeking clarity and responding accordingly.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or equivalent background and experience
• Strong customer service, leadership and decision making skills
• Knowledge of basic HR governance (e.g. employee relations, EEOC, FLSA, FMLA, HIPAA, employment law/regulations, etc.)
• Ability to make decisions and operate independently with respect to complex issues and business requirements with a high degree of exposure
• Must multi-task multiple projects with strong results orientation and work within tight deadlines
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to write and communicate concisely and clearly with persuasion and succinct styles
• Strong listening and interpersonal skills
• Proficient in software applications (e.g. word, excel, internet navigation, email, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Five (5 ) or more years of prior human resource experience with healthcare background
• Certifications as a PHR or SPHR

Position Details

• Job Type/FTE: Full-time
• Shift: Day
• Unit/Department: Employee & Labor Relations
• CBA Code: Non-Union

Must comply with UCMC’s COVID-19 Vaccination requirement as a condition of employment. If you have already received the vaccination, you must provide proof as part of the pre-employment process. This is in addition to your compliance with the Flu Vaccination requirement as well. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered consistent with applicable law. Lastly, a pre-employment physical, drug screening, and background check are also required for all employees prior to hire.

Why Join Us

We’ve been at the forefront of medicine since 1899. We provide superior healthcare with compassion, always mindful that each patient is a person, an individual. To accomplish this, we need employees with passion, talent and commitment… with patients and with each other. We’re in this together: working to advance medical innovation, serve the health needs of the community, and move our collective knowledge forward. If you’d like to add enriching human life to your profile, The University of Chicago Medicine is for you. Here at the forefront, we’re doing work that really matters. Join us. Bring your passion.

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Bring your career to the next level at a hospital that is thriving; from patient satisfaction to employee engagement, we are at the Forefront of Medicine. Take advantage of all we have to offer and #BringYourPassiontotheForefront.

University of Chicago Medicine is growing; discover how you can be a part of this pursuit of excellence at: www.uchospitals.edu/jobs 

The University of Chicago Medical Center is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.