Employee Relations Investigator

$67,891 - $135,221/Yr

Nuvance Health - Danbury, CT

Full-time

Danbury, CT

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities

About the position

Nuvance Health is seeking an Employee Relations (ER) Investigator to join our Human Resources team. This role is critical in conducting and resolving highly sensitive and complex investigations related to employee relations issues. The ER Investigator will advise and provide proactive recommendations to HR Business Partners and business leaders, ensuring compliance with Nuvance policies, collective bargaining agreements, and state and federal employment laws. The position aims to foster a positive work environment by identifying trends and addressing broader organizational and managerial issues. The ER Investigator will be responsible for conducting investigations on a wide range of employment matters, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour issues, performance management, and interpersonal conflicts. This role requires the development of comprehensive investigation plans that apply knowledge of employment and discrimination laws, whistle-blowing laws, and rules of evidence. The investigator will conduct thorough investigations, including interviews with concerned parties, witnesses, and subjects, analyze data, assess risks, and recommend remediation actions. In addition to conducting investigations, the ER Investigator will collaborate with various subject matter experts, including Labor and Employment Counsel, HR Business Partners, and Compliance teams, to ensure legal and regulatory compliance. The role also involves producing clear and comprehensive investigation reports that summarize findings and conclusions, recommending next steps for resolution, and providing guidance to management on conflict and dispute resolution. The investigator will utilize a case management system to document findings and analyze aggregate casework data to identify trends and develop strategies to mitigate organizational risks. The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting complex workplace investigations. A Master's Degree or Juris Doctorate (JD) is preferred. Strong problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills are essential, along with the ability to communicate complex issues to a diverse range of stakeholders, including executives. The role requires solid project and time management skills, strong conflict management abilities, and the capacity to work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Conducts highly sensitive and complex investigations on a broad range of employment matters including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour issues, performance management, and interpersonal conflicts.
• Develops comprehensive investigation plans applying knowledge of employment and discrimination laws, whistle-blowing laws, rules of evidence, discoverability, and other laws pertaining to investigations.
• Conducts prompt, thorough and complex investigations, including conducting interviews with concern raisers, witnesses and subjects, analyzes data, assesses risk and recommends remediation.
• Consults and collaborates with other subject matter experts including Labor and Employment Counsel, HR Business Partners, HR Governance, Compliance, and Security to ensure legal and regulatory compliance.
• Produces comprehensive and clear investigation reports summarizing allegations, investigative work performed, key findings and conclusions, ensuring that conclusions are evidence based.
• Recommends next steps required to successfully resolve any identified issues including disciplinary action in support of investigation findings.
• Resolves manager and employee issues directly by acting as a consultant/coach through providing guidance on conflict and dispute resolution.
• Utilizes case management system and other company tools to document findings and evidence, analyzes aggregate casework data to identify issue trends and opportunities.
• Reviews and provides recommendations on policies and procedures that support the employee experience.
• Provides guidance, counsel, and instruction for management where needed in the application of Human Resources policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience conducting complex workplace investigations.
• Experience in conducting or overseeing investigations as a primary job responsibility.
• Experience in formal investigation report writing.
• Strong understanding of best practices related to conducting investigations.
• Working knowledge of a wide range of Title VII and employment-related laws, rules, and regulations.
• Ability to interact and communicate complex issues to a wide range of stakeholders, including executives.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills including a high degree of comfort working with data.
• Solid project and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong conflict management skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's Degree or Juris Doctorate (JD) preferred.