Human Resources

Job Location

County of Chelan Human Resources 400 Douglas Street, #201 Wenatchee, WA 98801

Description

Position is open until filled with first review on 9/25/2024

Salary: PW16 Steps 2-4 $5,099.09 - $5,580.23 Longevity Steps 5-8 $5,838.99- $6,695.54

SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The HR Generalist serves all employees of Chelan County. The Generalist is responsible for administering and managing the County’s Self-Insurance Health and Workers Compensation Programs. The HR Generalist will also be responsible for the orientation of new employees, administering benefits, and enrolling employees in County benefit programs. This position will also assist with policy review and updates, recruitment & selection, training & development, and performance management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Handle weekly claims calls with the County’s Third-Party Administrator (TPA) for health insurance claims and industrial insurance claims.
• Answer employee questions regarding health insurance and self-funding, and guide appeals through the appeal process as needed.
• Work with the benefit broker, Auditor’s Office, and Treasurer’s Office as needed to coordinate the self-funded health insurance program.
• Administer worker's compensation claims from first contact with the injured employee, claims management, and rehabilitation, through a return to work.
• Input worker's compensation claims into the TPA database online, run reports and monitor claims activity.
• Communicate with employees, their supervisor(s), and their medical providers if needed, to assist in all aspects of the claim process.
• Work with employees and department supervisors on light duty options for employees to return to work after an on-the-job injury.
• Participate in injury prevention activities, identifying potential risks and safety hazards, researching and developing recommendations and options for correcting the condition or reducing exposure resulting in injury to the employee or financial loss to the County.
• Claims reporting, monthly claims reports, annual preparation of statistical incident/severity rates data, annual claims activity plus OSHA 300 log.
• Ensure compliance with all legal requirements and reporting for the Department of Labor and Industries, including tracking volunteer hours.
• Act as a department representative on the countywide safety committee.

• Responsibilities include orienting new employees to the County, assisting employees in filling out paperwork, and enrolling new employees in benefit plans.
• Assist Manager in developing comparable data for labor negotiations, as well as assisting with implementation and interpretation of all collective bargaining agreements for 8 labor contacts.
• Act as backup to or assist the Civil Service Examiner with administering testing, collecting applications, and speaking to candidates.  
• Review and develop required policy updates for countywide and departmental policies.
• Provide guidance or advise Elected Officials, Department Heads, and supervisors on personnel issues, including state and federal employment laws and County policies; maintain confidential personnel information and records.
• Respond to employee questions about benefits, policies, and general concerns.
• Coordinate with benefit brokers for benefit programs; explain benefit options and enrollment choices for employees regarding health insurance, dental, retirement, and voluntary benefits.
• Prepare internal employee communications, emails, letters, training notices, benefit updates, etc.
• May assist with and or provide training to county employees. May act as the primary point of contact and be responsible for HR-sponsored programs, including Wellness.
• Perform general administrative duties, processing weekly vouchers and running payroll.
• Provide employees and supervisors with information regarding FMLA, WPFML, and other benefits.
• HR Generalist serves as a backup to other HR positions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Associate Degree in Business, Public Administration, Human Resources, or related field.
• 1 year of previous experience in benefit administration
• 1 year of previous experience in handling worker’s compensation claims
• At least 3 years of increasingly responsible work experience in Human Resources  
• Equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience may be considered.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Risk Management, Human Resources or similar field; or equivalent combination of education, experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities
• Previous experience working in the Public Sector
• 2+ of Benefit administration and worker’s compensation experience.
• Knowledge, experience, and understanding of insurance programs, workers compensation claims, human resource procedures, employment practices, and employment laws
• Department of Labor and Industries Claims Administrator certification
• Professional in Human Resource Certification (PHR)
• Bilingual English/Spanish

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work is generally performed in an office environment; sitting, standing, walking, and computer use are frequent and can be for extended periods of time; must be able to move from sitting to standing quickly to assist customers; must be able to kneel, stoop, bend, twist, reach and grasp, use small ladders or stepstools, and operate standard office equipment; must have the ability to lift, pull, push and/or carry up to 30 pounds using proper lifting/carrying techniques; must have sufficient vision to read printed materials and computer screen, and adequate hearing and speech to communicate clearly in  person or over the telephone.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the position. Work is performed during periods of high stress and tension, and the ability to remain calm and make critical decisions during high stress periods is vital to the position success.