HR GENERALIST

HR Generalist

Location: Irvine, California
Employment Type: Full-Time
Schedule: Monday–Friday
Compensation: $85,000–$100,000 annually
Reports To: Director of Operations
Company: THE ESTATE LAWYERS, APC

About the Role

THE ESTATE LAWYERS, APC is seeking an experienced and highly organized HR Generalist to support the day-to-day Human Resources needs of our growing law firm.

This position is ideal for an HR professional who is comfortable working in a fast-paced, professional environment and has strong working knowledge of California employment practices and HR compliance.

The HR Generalist will support the full employee lifecycle, including recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, benefits administration, leaves of absence, performance management, HRIS administration, training, policy implementation, workers' compensation coordination, and offboarding.

This is a hands-on role requiring sound judgment, discretion, strong follow-through, and the ability to provide practical HR guidance and support to employees and management.

Key ResponsibilitiesEmployee Relations & Management Support

• Serve as a primary HR resource for employees and managers regarding workplace questions, policies, procedures, and employee relations matters.
• Provide guidance to managers regarding employee coaching, counseling, documentation, corrective action, and performance improvement.
• Maintain appropriate documentation regarding employee relations and performance matters.
• Assist with workplace investigations and ensure concerns are appropriately documented and escalated.
• Support consistent application of firm policies and procedures.
• Identify employee relations trends and recommend proactive solutions.
• Maintain strict confidentiality when handling sensitive employee and firm information.

California HR Compliance

• Support compliance with applicable California and federal employment laws and regulations.
• Monitor changes in California employment requirements and assist with updating policies and procedures as necessary.
• Support compliance related to wage-and-hour practices, timekeeping, meal and rest periods, overtime, employee classifications, attendance, and recordkeeping.
• Assist with required workplace notices, employee communications, and employment documentation.
• Coordinate reasonable accommodation and interactive process matters with management and outside HR or legal advisors when appropriate.
• Support administration of protected leaves of absence and return-to-work processes.
• Maintain organized and accurate personnel and HR compliance records.

Recruiting & Hiring

• Coordinate the recruiting process from job posting through hire.
• Draft, maintain, and update job descriptions and job postings.
• Review applicants and conduct initial candidate screenings.
• Coordinate interviews with hiring managers and leadership.
• Maintain recruiting documentation and candidate status information.
• Prepare offer letters and new-hire documentation.
• Coordinate reference checks and background-check processes when appropriate.
• Ensure compensation ranges and recruiting practices comply with applicable California requirements.
• Partner with department leaders to identify current and future staffing needs.

Onboarding & Employee Lifecycle

• Manage the new-hire onboarding process.
• Coordinate new-hire paperwork, employment documentation, orientation, policies, benefits information, and required acknowledgments.
• Ensure new employees are properly established within the firm's HR systems.
• Coordinate 30-, 60-, and 90-day onboarding and introductory-period checkpoints.
• Process and document transfers, promotions, compensation changes, department changes, and other employee-status changes.
• Maintain accurate employee personnel files and HRIS records.
• Coordinate employee offboarding, including documentation, system notifications, company property, and exit processes.

ADP Workforce Now & HRIS Administration

• Maintain accurate employee information within ADP Workforce Now and other HR systems.
• Process employee changes, including job titles, reporting relationships, compensation, departments, and employment status.
• Assist employees with ADP registration, benefits access, direct deposit, tax documentation, and system questions.
• Maintain electronic personnel documents and required acknowledgments.
• Conduct periodic audits of HRIS records to ensure information is accurate and complete.
• Partner with Finance regarding payroll-related employee changes while maintaining appropriate separation between HR and payroll responsibilities.

Leaves of Absence & Accommodations

• Coordinate employee leaves of absence and maintain appropriate documentation and tracking.
• Provide employees with applicable forms, notices, and leave information.
• Track leave dates, documentation requirements, benefit considerations, and return-to-work dates.
• Support administration of applicable California and federal leave programs, including CFRA, FMLA, Pregnancy Disability Leave, Paid Sick Leave, workers' compensation-related leaves, and other applicable protected leaves.
• Coordinate reasonable accommodation requests and the interactive process.
• Escalate complex leave, disability, and accommodation matters to leadership or employment counsel as appropriate.

Benefits Administration

• Assist employees with benefits enrollment and general benefits questions.
• Coordinate new-hire enrollment, qualifying life events, and employee benefit changes.
• Work with benefit brokers and vendors to address employee issues.
• Assist with annual open enrollment.
• Maintain benefits documentation and employee communications.
• Coordinate benefit continuation or termination information associated with employee separations and leaves when applicable.

Performance Management

• Coordinate employee performance-review cycles.
• Track introductory-period and annual performance reviews.
• Assist managers with developing measurable job expectations, MCOs, KPIs, and performance standards.
• Support the development and maintenance of job descriptions and role scorecards.
• Assist management with performance improvement plans, written warnings, corrective actions, and related documentation.
• Maintain appropriate and confidential performance documentation.

Policies, Procedures & Employee Handbook

• Assist with maintaining and updating the Employee Handbook.
• Develop and maintain HR policies, procedures, templates, forms, and employee communications.
• Standardize HR processes across departments and office locations.
• Maintain acknowledgment records for policies, handbook updates, and required training.
• Assist with implementation and communication of new or revised HR policies.

Training & Development

• Coordinate required employee and manager training.
• Track completion of mandatory training programs.
• Assist with management training regarding employee relations, performance management, timekeeping, workplace conduct, and HR procedures.
• Support employee development and internal training initiatives.

Workers' Compensation & Workplace Incidents

• Coordinate workplace injury and incident reporting.
• Assist with workers' compensation claim administration and required documentation.
• Maintain communication with employees, carriers, management, and applicable vendors.
• Coordinate return-to-work documentation and workplace restrictions when applicable.
• Maintain confidential records involving workplace injuries and claims.

HR Reporting & Administration

• Maintain accurate HR records, employee files, and compliance documentation.
• Prepare HR reports and workforce metrics as requested.
• Track headcount, turnover, recruiting activity, leave status, performance reviews, training completion, and other HR metrics.
• Assist leadership with workforce planning and organizational changes.
• Participate in HR projects and operational initiatives as assigned.

QualificationsRequired

• Minimum 3–5 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including responsibility for employee relations and HR administration.
• Demonstrated experience supporting California employees and California employment compliance.
• Working knowledge of California wage-and-hour requirements, leaves of absence, employee relations, recruiting, onboarding, performance management, and HR compliance.
• Experience handling sensitive employee relations matters with professionalism and discretion.
• Strong documentation and organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to professionally manage confidential and sensitive information.
• Strong judgment and ability to recognize when an HR matter requires escalation.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced professional environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams.

Preferred

• Experience with ADP Workforce Now.
• Experience working within a law firm or professional-services organization.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Management, or a related field.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, PHRca, or similar HR certification.
• Experience supporting employees across multiple California office locations.
• Experience conducting workplace investigations.
• Experience developing HR policies, procedures, job descriptions, performance documentation, and manager guidance.

What Success Looks Like

The successful HR Generalist will:

• Build trust with employees and managers while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Provide timely, practical, and consistent HR support.
• Maintain accurate and organized employee documentation.
• Identify HR and compliance risks before they develop into larger issues.
• Ensure HR processes are consistently followed across departments.
• Keep employee lifecycle processes moving efficiently.
• Provide managers with practical HR guidance and appropriate documentation.
• Help create a professional, accountable, respectful, and compliant workplace.
• Balance employee needs with the operational needs of the firm.

Compensation

The anticipated pay scale for this position is $85,000 to $100,000 annually.

The anticipated hiring range will generally be $90,000 to $95,000, depending upon the selected candidate's relevant California HR experience, employee-relations experience, education, certifications, law-firm or professional-services experience, HRIS experience, and other lawful job-related factors.

Candidates possessing substantial California employee-relations experience, PHRca/SHRM certification, ADP Workforce Now expertise, or directly relevant law-firm experience may be considered toward the upper portion of the posted range.

Work Environment

This position is primarily based in our Irvine, California office and requires regular interaction with employees, managers, and firm leadership.

Occasional travel to other firm locations, including San Diego, may be required.

The position requires the ability to manage confidential information and conduct sensitive conversations in a private and professional manner.

Equal Employment Opportunity

THE ESTATE LAWYERS, APC is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, business needs, and other lawful considerations without unlawful discrimination based on any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities as required by applicable law.

California Fair Chance Act

THE ESTATE LAWYERS, APC will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act and other applicable laws.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and a brief summary of your California Human Resources experience.

Candidates with direct experience in California employee relations, investigations, leaves of absence, performance management, HR compliance, and ADP Workforce Now are strongly encouraged to apply.