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HR Generalist | Syracuse, New York

Department

Human Resources

Reports To

Chief Financial Officer

Location

Syracuse, NY

FLSA Classification

Exempt

Work Arrangement

Office-based; regular on-site presence expected

Travel

Occasional local travel for meetings or training is required; this role also requires periodic overnight travel.

Position Summary

The HR Generalist is a professional human resources role responsible for supporting daily HR operations for the Syracuse, Ballston Spa, Poughkeepsie, and Avon, New York locations. This position serves as a key internal resource for employees and leadership across payroll support, leave administration, benefits, recruiting, training coordination, employee relations support, and HR compliance administration. The role is designed for an HR professional seeking to build a career in HR, who is organized, responsive, able to manage confidential matters with sound judgment, and interested in growing into broader HR partnership and process ownership over time.

Core Responsibilities:

• Administer employee leave programs, including FMLA, disability benefits, paid family leave, workers compensation leave administration, related documentation, and employee follow-up.
• Support payroll administration by reviewing and submitting employee changes, maintaining payroll and tax-related information in Paylocity, coordinating with payroll personnel, and helping ensure timely and accurate payroll processing.
• Respond to employee benefit questions, assist with benefit changes, support open enrollment, process life benefit claim forms, and manage flexible spending account issue follow-up as needed.
• Manage recruiting administration, including posting and removing job advertisements, coordinating background checks, and supporting onboarding activities for new hires.
• Coordinate employee set-up and separation activities such as email requests, system access changes, purchases, shutdowns, and forwarding requests in partnership with internal departments.
• Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
• Schedule and/or conduct new employee orientations.
• Administer employee compliance programs, including the LENS program, required background checks, DOT random drug testing, DOT pool participation, and certification/recertification requirements. On an annual basis, run Limited Query in the Clearinghouse for all DOT Drivers (FMCSA Regulation). Annually, schedule respirator Fit testing.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with federal, state, company, and regulatory requirements related to employee qualifications, testing, certifications, and training.
• Coordinate and track completion of mandatory training programs, including New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and other required annual compliance training.
• Review New York State unemployment insurance notices and experience charges for accuracy, prepare protest documentation when needed, manage unemployment claims and attend hearings..
• Assist with employee investigations and employee relations matters as they arise, including gathering information, maintaining documentation, and coordinating next steps with leadership.
• Maintain HR compliance records and routine updates, including required labor-law postings, handbook updates, pay-rate and minimum-wage monitoring, and benefits-related system updates.
• Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
• Monitor changes to federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including minimum wage and salary threshold requirements; assist with updating employee handbooks, labor law postings, and other compliance-related materials as needed.
• Assist with recurring quarterly and annual HR processes, including bonus update support, annual training assignments, benefit renewals, and other cyclical HR deliverables.
• Help improve HR workflows, documentation, communication, and service levels as the function continues to mature, creating opportunity for broader responsibility over time.

Opportunity for Growth:

This role offers meaningful opportunity for growth. As the employee gains experience and demonstrates sound judgment, the position can expand into deeper ownership of employee relations, compliance coordination, process improvement, systems administration, and broader business-partner support for leaders and employees at the Syracuse, Ballston Spa, Poughkeepsie, and Avon, New York locations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• Three to five years of human resources experience in a generalist, coordinator, payroll, benefits, or broad HR support role preferred.
• Working knowledge of leave administration, payroll support, benefits administration, recruiting coordination, employee relations support, and HR compliance fundamentals.
• Strong organization, communication, discretion, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain confidentiality.
• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems preferred; Paylocity experience is helpful.
• Ability to interpret policy, resolve routine employee questions, and build credibility with employees and leadership.

Work Environment

This is an office-based HR position located in Syracuse, New York. Regular on-site presence is expected to support employees, confidential documentation, payroll and leave administration, onboarding activity, and cross-functional coordination. The position supports New York operations only. While primarily site-based, occasional local travel may be required as business needs arise along with periodic overnight travel.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds at a time.
• Must be able to receive requests and assignments through verbal and written communication.

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