Employee Relations Specialist Jobs in Pennsylvania
Employee Relations Specialist jobs in Pennsylvania are consistently active, concentrated in corporate headquarters, healthcare systems, and higher education institutions, with openings at every level from entry-level HR coordinator to senior employee relations manager. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg generate the largest share of postings, anchored by longtime employers such as Comcast, UPMC, and Penn State Health. The most in-demand specialties across Pennsylvania include labor relations and collective bargaining, workplace investigations, and ADA and FMLA compliance. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 4 of 21+ Employee Relations Specialist jobs
Employee Relations Specialist - Leave, Separation, Performance Management.
Primary Areas of Responsibility: Employee Relations • FMLA Administration • ADA Accommodations • Performance Management • Workplace Investigations
Position Summary
The Employee Relations Specialist serves as a trusted People Operations resource for employees and managers, providing guidance and support across employee relations, leave and accommodation administration, performance management, and workplace investigations. The role helps ensure employee matters are handled consistently, confidentially, and in accordance with company policies and applicable employment laws.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as a primary point of contact for employee relations questions, concerns, and workplace issues.
- Administer FMLA, including eligibility, required documentation, medical certifications, designation, intermittent leave tracking, and return-to-work coordination.
- Facilitate and document the ADA interactive process, partnering with employees and managers to evaluate and implement reasonable workplace accommodation.
- Coach managers on employee performance concerns, documentation, attendance, corrective action, and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).
- Conduct and document workplace investigations involving employee complaints, policy violations, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace conduct, and other employee relations matters.
- Review disciplinary and corrective-action documentation for consistency and appropriate application of company policies.
- Partner with managers on sensitive employee situations where performance, attendance, FMLA, ADA, or other protected leave considerations overlap.
- Support involuntary termination decisions by reviewing documentation and identifying potential employee relations or compliance concerns.
- Maintain confidential employee relations, investigation, leave, accommodation, and performance-management records.
- Monitor employee relations trends and identify opportunities for manager training, policy clarification, and process improvements.
- Maintain knowledge of applicable federal and state employment laws and evolving employee relations practices.
Knowledge
- Strong working knowledge of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), including eligibility, notice and designation requirements, certification, and intermittent leave administration.
- Thorough understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the interactive process, and reasonable accommodation standards.
- Knowledge of federal and multi-state employment laws, including Title VII, ADEA, FLSA, and state-specific leave and paid family/medical leave programs.
- Understanding of how FMLA, ADA, workers' compensation, and short-term disability can intersect and affect leave and return-to-work decisions.
- Knowledge of workplace investigation best practices, including interview techniques, evidence gathering, documentation, and impartial findings.
- Familiarity with performance management practices, progressive discipline, corrective action, and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).
- Understanding of anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, and anti-retaliation principles and policies.
- Knowledge of HR recordkeeping, confidentiality, and medical-information privacy requirements.
- Familiarity with HRIS and leave-management systems (e.g., ADP).
Skills
- Excellent judgment and discretion in handling sensitive, confidential, and emotionally charged situations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear documentation, investigation summaries, and employee notices.
- Ability to coach and influence managers, providing practical, compliant guidance on employee matters.
- Active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution skills that build trust with employees and leaders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess facts objectively and reach well-supported conclusions.
- High attention to detail and accuracy in tracking leave, deadlines, and case documentation.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills to manage multiple cases and priorities at once.
- Ability to remain neutral, fair, and consistent in applying policies across the organization.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and ADP HRIS.
If you need an accommodation, please reach out to the People Operations Dept.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,600.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Exton, PA 19341
Employee Relations Specialist - Leave, Separation, Performance Management.
Primary Areas of Responsibility: Employee Relations • FMLA Administration • ADA Accommodations • Performance Management • Workplace Investigations
Position Summary
The Employee Relations Specialist serves as a trusted People Operations resource for employees and managers, providing guidance and support across employee relations, leave and accommodation administration, performance management, and workplace investigations. The role helps ensure employee matters are handled consistently, confidentially, and in accordance with company policies and applicable employment laws.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as a primary point of contact for employee relations questions, concerns, and workplace issues.
- Administer FMLA, including eligibility, required documentation, medical certifications, designation, intermittent leave tracking, and return-to-work coordination.
- Facilitate and document the ADA interactive process, partnering with employees and managers to evaluate and implement reasonable workplace accommodation.
- Coach managers on employee performance concerns, documentation, attendance, corrective action, and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).
- Conduct and document workplace investigations involving employee complaints, policy violations, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace conduct, and other employee relations matters.
- Review disciplinary and corrective-action documentation for consistency and appropriate application of company policies.
- Partner with managers on sensitive employee situations where performance, attendance, FMLA, ADA, or other protected leave considerations overlap.
- Support involuntary termination decisions by reviewing documentation and identifying potential employee relations or compliance concerns.
- Maintain confidential employee relations, investigation, leave, accommodation, and performance-management records.
- Monitor employee relations trends and identify opportunities for manager training, policy clarification, and process improvements.
- Maintain knowledge of applicable federal and state employment laws and evolving employee relations practices.
Knowledge
- Strong working knowledge of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), including eligibility, notice and designation requirements, certification, and intermittent leave administration.
- Thorough understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the interactive process, and reasonable accommodation standards.
- Knowledge of federal and multi-state employment laws, including Title VII, ADEA, FLSA, and state-specific leave and paid family/medical leave programs.
- Understanding of how FMLA, ADA, workers' compensation, and short-term disability can intersect and affect leave and return-to-work decisions.
- Knowledge of workplace investigation best practices, including interview techniques, evidence gathering, documentation, and impartial findings.
- Familiarity with performance management practices, progressive discipline, corrective action, and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).
- Understanding of anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, and anti-retaliation principles and policies.
- Knowledge of HR recordkeeping, confidentiality, and medical-information privacy requirements.
- Familiarity with HRIS and leave-management systems (e.g., ADP).
Skills
- Excellent judgment and discretion in handling sensitive, confidential, and emotionally charged situations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear documentation, investigation summaries, and employee notices.
- Ability to coach and influence managers, providing practical, compliant guidance on employee matters.
- Active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution skills that build trust with employees and leaders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess facts objectively and reach well-supported conclusions.
- High attention to detail and accuracy in tracking leave, deadlines, and case documentation.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills to manage multiple cases and priorities at once.
- Ability to remain neutral, fair, and consistent in applying policies across the organization.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and ADP HRIS.
If you need an accommodation, please reach out to the People Operations Dept.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,600.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Exton, PA 19341
See All 21 Employee Relations Specialist Jobs in Pennsylvania
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Find JobsEmployee Relations Specialist Jobs by City in Pennsylvania
Where Pennsylvania roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Employee Relations Specialist Job Market in Pennsylvania
A snapshot from current Pennsylvania openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What Pennsylvania Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in employee relations specialist jobs across Pennsylvania.
- Bachelor's degree in human resources, labor relations, business, or a related field
- PHR or SPHR certification from HRCI or SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential preferred
- Experience handling employee grievances, disciplinary processes, and conflict resolution
- Working knowledge of Pennsylvania labor law, FLSA, FMLA, and ADA compliance requirements
- Demonstrated ability to conduct thorough workplace investigations and write clear reports
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills for advising managers and frontline employees
Employee Relations Specialist Jobs in Pennsylvania: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a employee relations specialist in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania does not require a state-issued license to work as an employee relations specialist, so the path runs through education and professional credentialing. Most employers expect a bachelor's degree in human resources, labor relations, or business. From there, earning a SHRM-CP or PHR credential signals professional readiness and is increasingly required for mid-level roles. Pennsylvania's large healthcare, education, and public-sector employers often post roles that favor candidates with direct experience handling union environments or FMLA and ADA administration.
How much do employee relations specialists make in Pennsylvania?
Employee relations specialists in Pennsylvania earn a median of about $70,450 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $46,610 for the lowest 10% to over $119,850 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire employee relations specialists in Pennsylvania?
Employers hiring employee relations specialists in Pennsylvania right now include Temple Health, Cox Automotive, and The Guthrie Clinic, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Pennsylvania's dense concentration of large health systems, state government agencies, and Fortune 500 corporate offices generates steady, recurring demand for this role throughout the year.
Which Pennsylvania cities have the most employee relations specialist jobs?
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Sayre account for the most employee relations specialist openings in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia leads because of its large corporate headquarters, major health systems, and university campuses, while Pittsburgh's strength in healthcare and technology drives steady demand there, and Harrisburg's concentration of state government agencies and public-sector employers makes it a reliable source of openings for specialists with public employment law experience.
Are there remote employee relations specialist jobs in Pennsylvania?
Yes, and more than most HR fields, because employee relations work is primarily advisory, investigative, and documentation-driven rather than tied to a physical worksite. About 88% of employee relations specialist openings tied to Pennsylvania are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting that pattern. Roles focused on policy writing, FMLA and ADA case management, and remote workforce consulting tend to be the most location-flexible, while positions requiring in-person investigations or union floor presence remain largely on-site.
How can I get hired as a employee relations specialist in Pennsylvania with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing an HR coordinator or HR generalist role first, then moving into employee relations work as you build a case-management and documentation record. Large Pennsylvania employers such as UPMC, Geisinger Health, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regularly post entry-level HR positions that expose candidates to grievance handling and leave administration. Pursuing a SHRM-CP credential while in an adjacent role demonstrates commitment to the specialty and helps candidates compete for specialist titles without years of direct experience.
Where can I find and apply to employee relations specialist jobs in Pennsylvania?
You can find and apply to employee relations specialist jobs in Pennsylvania on Migrate Mate, which lists current Pennsylvania openings from employers actively hiring right now. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your experience and location, and apply directly to the employer through the listing.
See All 21 Employee Relations Specialist Jobs in Pennsylvania
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