Employee Relations Specialist Jobs

Employee Labor & Relations Consultant 4 (0495U), People & Culture #89643 About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley , we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth . We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan , which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence.

Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride .

Departmental Overview

People & Culture is valued as UC Berkeley's proactive people partner focusing on the following key priority areas:
One HR: Bringing clarity and efficiency to HR processes and structures through cross- team collaboration and transparent communication.
People: Using development opportunities beyond training to create deeper engagement, higher trust and better performance.
Culture: Applying Berkeley brand to developing a shared enterprise contributor mindset among all.

If this position does not fully align with your experience level, we encourage you to explore our Employee & Labor Relations Consultant (8080U), People & Culture #89640 position on the UC Berkeley Careers website. Please note that we're hiring one position collectively from the 2 postings as only one position is available.

Position Summary

The Employee Labor & Relations Consultant 4 contributes to all areas of employee and labor relations university-wide, independently and with very limited supervision. Assigned to one of three teams within the Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) department, this position handles assigned campus regions of policy covered employees and collective bargaining agreements/represented employees.

The Employee Labor & Relations Consultant 4 interprets, explains, drafts, administers, and enforces policy and contract language. This position provides critical guidance on performance management, corrective actions, separations, and grievances, while conducting investigations and drafting detailed reports. Additionally, the Employee Labor & Relations Consultant 4 performs administrative duties, maintains metrics, and ensures the highest level of discretion and confidentiality in a fast-paced environment.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is November 13, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

Responsibilities

Labor Relations - 35%

Manage and administer collective bargaining agreements, including such actions as the management of the grievance program, information requests, reporting, contract negotiations, union business leave, equity increases, reclassifications, parameter requests, participate in labor management meetings and the negotiation of labor disputes, draft settlement agreements, meet and confers, and union noticing.
Provide direct services to client groups as assigned.
Act as a resource to managers, supervisors, and employees to interpret collective bargaining agreements.
Participate in or lead successor or accretion negotiations.

Employee Relations - 35%

Handle all facets of employee relations, including performance management, investigations including reports, discipline, separations, reclassifications, equity increases, and resolutions to employment disputes. Provide guidance regarding layoffs, terminations, corrective action, and/or policy grievances (PPSM 70s).
Must facilitate sound and consistent employee and labor relations decisions.
Provide guidance regarding and/or create and maintain accurate documentation of investigations or other employment or labor matters.
Provide direct services to client groups as assigned.
Act as a resource to managers, supervisors, and employees to interpret policies and procedures.
Provides advice and counsel regarding leave administration, e.g., FMLA, CFRA, and compliance with the Americans with Disability Act and the requirements under this law, e.g., the interactive process.
Act as an objective intermediary for employees and supervisors.
Participate in conflict resolution, problem solving, and negotiation with/between supervisors and employees.

Relations W/ Employee Unions, Campus Business Partners, Supervisors and Employees - 10%

Establish and maintain positive and appropriate union/management and campus business partner relations.

Communication & Administrative Duties - 10%

Provide communication of potential employment litigation and/or risks to legal counsel and obtain legal counsel on employment matters as needed.
Advise on template and process updates.
Track work performed to provide data for metrics and recordkeeping.
Review trends and practices in labor/employee relations, and recommend programs that will enhance employee and labor relations at the university.
Assess current functions and provide input to achieve unit best practices.

Special Projects & Training - 10%

Supports team or legal counsel responses related to employment litigation and government agency charges.
Design and deliver or co-deliver training for employees, supervisors, managers, and HR Partners pertaining to employee and labor relations and related compliance (e.g., training concerning policies, procedures, collective bargaining agreements, performance management, and/or applicable state and federal legal requirements).
Independently, with the Directors input prepare briefing memos, instructional manuals, job aids, and tool kits.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

5-6 years of experience equivalent to an Employee and Labor Relations Consultant performing professional level human resources work requiring use of the knowledge and abilities listed herein.
Demonstrates analytical skills to conduct analysis and develop recommendations, organization and problem-solving skills. Demonstrated ability to write detailed, well organized, concise, emails, position statements for administrative procedures (CDR, EEOC, PERB, DLSE, PPSM 70 hearings), arbitration briefs, analytical reports, procedures, processes, performance management documents, web content and training documents.
Knowledge of labor/employment law. Knowledge of employee and labor relations best practices and programs.
Knowledge of the principles of advocacy in order to represent the campus in various dispute forums.
Ability to work cooperatively and communicate effectively with all levels of the UCB community, system-wide and with outside professionals. Demonstrated interpersonal skills. Performs during high conflict situations where employees and/or representatives are exhibiting strong emotions, verbiage, and somewhat aggressive behavior such as, but not limited to handling grievances, investigations, complaints and other meetings, hearings and situations.
Knowledge of National Labor Relations Act, California Labor Code, California Government Code, Fair Labor Standards Act, DFEH, EEOC, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, FFCRA, CFRA, ADEA, Title VII, etc., including recent developments and practices, applicability to the public sector. General knowledge of the Information Practices Act, Public Records Act or HEERA requirements for information release, including release of personnel type records, creation of data for bargaining. And knowledge of other areas of human resources.
Ability to work with a high degree of confidentiality and independent judgment, including skills to handle difficult and sensitive matters. Experience in a customer service environment.
Strong skill and ability to communicate with a high level of professionalism, clarity, accuracy including demonstrated ability to handle difficult or volatile situations/individuals effectively.
Skills to independently manage, organize and prioritize work to achieve timely progress on simultaneous projects, distribute efforts appropriately among competing projects, meet competing deadlines, and maintain a high level of productivity.
Demonstrated skills and ability to actively listen, observe, identify information requested, ask questions to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives, interests, and underlying needs of others, responding appropriately to a wide variety of requests.
Technical skill and ability to accurately utilize the MS Office suite of business software applications, Outlook, Excel, Word, etc. Ability to learn, master and utilize new applications as they become available.
3-4 years of demonstrated labor contract administration and employee relations experience that includes the ability to write detailed, well organized, concise, emails, position statements for administrative procedures (CDR, EEOC, PERB, DLSE, PPSM 70 hearings), arbitration briefs, analytical reports, procedures, processes, performance management documents, web content and training documents.
Detail oriented and dedicated to meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong decision-making skills.
Demonstrated experience successfully coaching managers and supervisors at all levels of an organization.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of and/or the ability to learn campus policies and procedures. Experience with and/or the ability to learn University of California systems and programs.
Knowledge of and/or the ability to learn University of California System-wide personnel practices, policies, procedures, labor contracts and agreements.
Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish and/or Chinese Mandarin, with strong verbal and written communication skills.

Education / Training

Bachelor's degree in related area such as human resources management, labor law, organizational behavior and 3-4 years of relevant experience, or a combination of education and equivalent experience/training. (Required)

Licenses / Certifications

SHRM-CP or PHR certification (Preferred)

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $145,000.00 - $173,800.00.

This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.