HR Compliance & Employee Relations Specialist

Position Summary

Serves as the County's Human Resources professional, responsible for employee relations administration, workplace investigations, policy interpretation, conflict resolution, compensation and classification support, compliance activities, disciplinary consultation, leave administration support, training delivery, and employment law compliance. Reports directly to the Manager of Employee Relations & Compliance and serves as a subject-matter resource for supervisors, managers, elected officials, and employees on employee relations matters, workplace concerns, policy interpretation, performance management issues, compensation practices, classification matters, workplace investigations, and Human Resources compliance requirements.

The HR Compliance & Employee Relations Specialist plays a key role in promoting consistent application of County policies, supporting equitable compensation practices, reducing organizational risk, strengthening workplace relationships, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.

What You Will Do

• Conducts workplace investigations into employee complaints, policy violations, workplace conflicts, harassment allegations, misconduct concerns, and other employment-related matters. Gathers evidence, interviews witnesses, prepares investigation summaries, and issues findings and recommendations.
• Assists in monitoring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), and the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA). Supports compliance audits and corrective action efforts.
• Supports HR compliance activities for Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment, workplace accommodations, and other employment-related regulatory requirements. Assists with compliance documentation, case reviews, interactive process coordination, and adherence to applicable federal, state, and organizational requirements.
• Provides guidance and consultation to supervisors and managers regarding employee relations concerns, performance management issues, disciplinary actions, workplace behavior concerns, and policy application. Assists supervisors with documentation review and corrective action recommendations.
• Assists with the interpretation, application, communication, and maintenance of Human Resources policies and procedures. Provides guidance on policy compliance and consistent application.
• Assists with compensation administration activities, including market pricing, salary surveys, internal equity reviews, compensation studies, position evaluations, classification reviews, and compensation-related reporting. Supports compensation planning and pay administration processes. Assists with Equal Pay for Equal Work Act compliance reviews and compensation audits. Provides guidance on compensation policies, pay practices, and classification procedures.
• Participates in cross-training across Human Resources functions and provides support to other HR operational areas as needed to ensure service continuity, workforce flexibility, employee development, and organizational effectiveness.
• Develops and delivers training programs covering workplace conduct, harassment prevention, employee relations, performance management, policy compliance, compensation practices, and supervisory responsibilities.
• Identifies opportunities to improve compliance processes, investigation procedures, compensation administration, documentation standards, and employee relations activities.
• Develops reports and tracks employee relations metrics, investigation trends, compensation metrics, leave activity, compliance issues, and organizational risk indicators.
• Supports the One HR Team philosophy by sharing knowledge, participating in cross-functional initiatives, and contributing to department-wide projects and operational support.
• Attends meetings, classes, and training sessions as required or requested by the supervisor.
• Performs additional tasks as assigned, including filling in for other staff as necessary and/or required.
  
  

Education

WHAT YOU HAVE

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Employment Law, Law, Pre-Law, or a closely related field required
• Master's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Employment Law, or a related field preferred
  
  

Experience

• Minimum of four (4) years or more of progressively responsible Human Resources experience in employee relations, investigations, compliance administration, workplace conflict resolution, policy administration, or related Human Resources disciplines required
• Minimum of one (1) year or more of experience supporting Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment claims and investigations throughout the full case lifecycle, from initial claim intake and fact-finding through documentation, agency response, appeal preparation, and participation in administrative hearings required
• Experience supporting compensation administration through job evaluations, position classification reviews, salary surveys, internal equity analyses, and compensation planning, while ensuring compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act preferred
• Public sector or local government experience preferred
  
  

Licenses/Certificates

• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) preferred
• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) preferred
• SHRM-Certified Professional (CP) preferred
• SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SCP) preferred
• Workplace Investigator Certification preferred
• Certified Employee Relations Professional (CERP) preferred
• Other related professional certifications preferred
• Must successfully pass any and all applicable background checks ***
  
  

NOTE:The substitution of any combination of relevant and related education, training, and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and ability may be considered.

What Pueblo County Offers

• Comprehensive Benefits package (medical, dental, vision, etc.) for full-time employees
• Generous Vacation and Sick Leave Accrual
• Remote & Hybrid working opportunities
• County Retirement Program
• Autonomy to grow and find your career path with supportive leadership
• Truly inclusive and diverse environment
• Fitness Center (Historic Pueblo Courthouse Building)
• May be eligible for up to 12-weeks Paid Parental Leave Benefits (full-time employees)
  
  

Employee Benefits Summary

2026 PAID HOLIDAYS

• New Year's Day - January 1st
• Day after New Year's Day - January 2nd
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - January 19th
• Memorial Day - May 25th
• Employee Appreciation Day - June 3rd
• Juneteenth Day - June 19th
• Independence Day (observed) - July 3rd
• Day before Labor Day - September 4th (Early Release at 12:00pm)
• Labor Day - September 7th
• Francis Xavier Cabrini Day - October 5th
• Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day - October 12th
• Veteran's Day - November 11th
• Day before Thanksgiving - November 25th (Early Release at 12:00pm)
• * Thanksgiving Day - November 26th
• * Day after Thanksgiving - November 27th
• * Christmas Eve Day - December 24th
• * Christmas Day - December 25th
• Day before New Year's Day - December 31st (Early Release at 12:00pm)
• One Personal Day (County employees will have one paid personal day off in 2026. This paid day off is to be chosen by the employee and approved by their Elected Official or Department Director.)
• = Regular Part-Time Employees who are scheduled to work on a 2026 Holiday will receive Holiday Pay for two (2) of the Holidays of their choice (marked with the single asterisk * above) as approved by their Elected Official or Department Director
• When a holiday falls on a Saturday, Friday will be celebrated as the County holiday
• When a holiday falls on a Sunday, Monday will be celebrated as the County holiday
• Early releases are at the discretion of the Elected Official or Department Director and may vary based on the operational needs of their offices/departments.
• All time off work taken by County employees for the days designated as Early Release shall be considered holiday time off for purposes "worked time" in determining Overtime in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
• If an employee is absent the day preceding or following the holiday without prior approval, the employee will not be paid for the holiday
• The following time off types will not contribute to the daily or weekly overtime calculation: Unpaid Days Off, Unpaid Personal Days, and Unpaid Early Release Days.
• Any employee that is required to work by their supervisor on a designated Unpaid Day Off, a designated Unpaid Personal Day or during a designated Unpaid Early Release period shall be paid for work required and performed during such days and periods.
• No employee may work during an Unpaid Day Off, an Unpaid Personal Day, or during an Unpaid Early Release period without the express authorization of their supervisor. This Resolution contemplates and authorizes supervisors to direct work during Unpaid Days Off, Unpaid Personal Days, or Unpaid Early Release Periods for community safety and County government essential activities such as snow removal, social worker visits for child welfare and other family emergencies, response to emergency calls by facilities and fleet employees, and required court appearances by County employees.
• For weeks in which an Unpaid Day Off or an Unpaid Early Release takes place, County Exempt employees are designated as Non-Exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Those employees so designated will be required to clock in and out of work via email to their Director for all days worked during weeks that include an Unpaid Day Off.
• No employees shall be permitted to work over 40 hours during a week that includes an Unpaid Day Off or an Unpaid Early Release without the express written authorization of their Director or Elected Official.
• The above 2026 Holiday Schedule Resolution was originally approved by the Board of County Commissioners on December 15th, 2025 and then revised on February 12th, 2026 & March 12th, 2026***
  
  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DEPARTMENTS SCHEDULED TO WORK ON HOLIDAYS

Due to operational requirements, some employees will be required to work on holidays. The employee must take the holiday by the end of the month following the holiday at a date approved by their Elected Official or Department Director

SICK LEAVE

Regular full-time employees accrue eight (8) hours per month with a maximum accrual of 960 hours.

VACATION LEAVE

• Upon initial date of hire: earn eight (8) hours per month with a maximum accrual of 144 hours.
• After 5 years: earn twelve (12) hours per month with a maximum accrual of 216 hours.
• Ater 10 years: earn sixteen (16) hours per month with a maximum accrual of 288 hours.
  
  

RETIREMENT

All Regular Full-Time employees and Elected Officials are required to participate in the County Retirement Plan upon completion of one (1) month of continuous employment. A pre-tax deduction of 8.25% will be deducted from the employee's monthly pay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EMPLOYER MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION

Pueblo County's contribution toward the purchase of your benefit options on a tiered approach and based on which medical plan you elect.

If Benefit Selections

• Are greater than the employer contribution dollar amount, the difference is deducted from paycheck
• Are equal to the employer contribution dollar amount, there is no effect on pay
• Are less the employer contribution dollar amount, additional pay or cash back is not optional
  
  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MEDICAL INSURANCE - ANTHEM BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD (optional)

Medical, Dental, & Vision Rates are for the 2026 Plan Year (effective January 1st, 2026)

HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLANEmployee Only Employee 1 Family

Plan Cost $823.00 $1,543.00 $2,12900

Employer Contribution $852.00 $1,428.00 $1,938.00

Employee Contribution $-29.00 $115.00 $191.00

PPO

Employee Only Employee 1 Family

Plan Cost $889.00 $1,713.00 $2,351.00

Employer Contribution $860.00 $1,453.00 $1,969.00

Employee Contribution $29.00 $260.00 $382.00

HMO/DedEmployee Only Employee 1 Family

Plan Cost $999.00 $1,926.00 $2,661.00

Employer Contribution $876.00 $1,484.00 $2,014.00

Employee Contribution $123.00 $442.00 $647.00

LOW HMOEmployee Only Employee 1 Family

Plan Cost $1,038.00 $2,002.00 $2,768.00

Employer Contribution $881.00 $1,495.00 $2,030.00

Employee Contribution $157.00 $507.00 $738.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DENTAL INSURANCE - AMERITAS (optional)

Employee Only Employee 1 Family

Plan Cost $27.00 $60.00 $91.00

Employer Contribution $7.00 $17.00 $25.00

Employee Contribution $20.00 $43.00 $66.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VISION INSURANCE - ANTHEM BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD (optional)

Employee Only Employee 1 Family

Plan Cost $6.00 $12.00 $19.00

Employer Contribution $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Employee Contribution $6.00 $12.00 $19.00

Note: There is no Employer Contribution to Vision Insurance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LONG TERM DISABILITY - THE STANDARD (required)

Coverage pays 60% of your wages up to $4,800 with a 90-day waiting period.

Your monthly cost = (monthly pay)/100 x 0.410

BASIC LIFE AND AD&D BENEFIT (required)

Employees are required to purchase the basic option for $3.10, however, they may elect to purchase additional coverage.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (optional)

This benefit allows you to pay for certain expenses (medical and/or dependent care needs) with "pre-tax" dollars. You specify the dollar amount you would like deducted from your monthly paycheck (minimum of $25), then when you incur an eligible expense, you pay it. Then you submit a claim form and original receipt for reimbursement.

Note: According to IRS rules, any funds left in your FSA account(s) at the end of the year cannot be returned to you. They are considered "use or lose" funds.

ADDITIONAL INSURANCES/BENEFITS (optional)

• Optional Life Insurance
• Spouse/Dependent Life Insurance
• Other Self-Funded Retirement Plans
  
  

*** These are post-tax benefits. ***

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For hiring related questions, please contact WPC - Workplace Policy & Compliance; HR Staffing at:

hrstaffing@pueblocounty.us

For benefits related questions, please contact TPS - Talent & People Services; HR Benefits at:

hrbenefits@pueblocounty.us

01

Do you have a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Employment Law, Law, Pre-Law, or a closely related field?

• Yes
• No
  
  

02

Do you have a Master's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Employment Law, or related field?

• Yes
• No
  
  

03

Do you have a minimum of four (4) years or more of progressively responsible Human Resources experience in employee relations, investigations, compliance administration, workplace conflict resolution, policy administration, or related Human Resources disciplines?

• Yes
• No
  
  

04

Do you have a minimum of one (1) year or more of experience supporting Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment claims and investigations throughout the full case lifecycle, from initial claim intake and fact-finding through documentation, agency response, appeal preparation, and participation in administrative hearings?

• Yes
• No
  
  

05

Do you have experience supporting compensation administration through job evaluations, position classification reviews, salary surveys, internal equity analyses, and compensation planning, while ensuring compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act?

• Yes
• No
  
  

06

Do you have public sector or local government experience?

• Yes
• No
  
  

07

Do you have a current and valid Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification?

• Yes
• No
  
  

08

Do you have a current and valid Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification?

• Yes
• No
  
  

09

Do you have a current and valid SHRM-Certified Professional (CP) certification?

• Yes
• No
  
  

10

Do you have a current and valid SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SCP) certification?

• Yes
• No
  
  

11

Do you have a current and valid Workplace Investigator certification?

• Yes
• No
  
  

12

Do you have a current and valid Certified Employee Relations Professional (CERP) certification?

• Yes
• No
  
  

13

Do you have any other current and valid HR position related professional certifications?

• Yes
• No
• Required Question