Employee Relations Senior Consultant

Job Description:

The opportunity

The role shall be responsible in handling all Employee Relations concern ensuring that legal risks are minimized if not eliminated. The role is accountable for own work and contributes to setting strong ER standards through expertise that impact other’s deliverables. Can lead medium to large size projects or work streams with moderate resource requirements, risk and/or complexity with multiple teams representing different interests.

Due to the confidential and sensitive nature of the job function, the role must be capable of functioning at a high level of autonomy and independence, be competent in dealing with a broad range of employee issues and confident when interacting with employees and management at all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

Work as a strategic partner with the different HR Leaders and HR Teams

• As an Employee Relations Subject Matter Expert, provides guidance to HR Leaders and different HR Teams on matters related to ER to ensure that all HR policies and guidelines in place are compliant to the minimum standards of the law in the Philippine labor setting.
• Provides support to HR Leaders in the interpretation on local labor advisories and labor law updates to ensure compliance.
• Acts as a mediator/conciliation and go to person in resolving work related conflict/issues and provide/recommend best resolution.
• Supports HR Partners and HR Leaders on people strategy to ensure a seamless overall employee experience.

Work as coach/consultant to Business Leaders of the different Functions/Entities

• Provides professional advice – takes a lead role of process or program execution
• Strong ability to interpret both internal and external legal compliance matters related to Employee Relations ensuring that risks are minimized if not eliminated. Provides recommendation on the course of action and industry practice to improve processes or guidelines. Closely monitor/track and ensure that policies, practices, and decisions are aligned and compliant with applicable local legislation
• Review, advise and provide support as appropriate, on employee demotions and terminations to ensure compliance with provincial and federal laws, policies, procedures, and standard management practices.
• Provide credible advice, guidance, and professional support with respect to interpretation and application of employee relations and associated policies, practices, procedures to HR Business Partner, HR Business Consultants, and Recruiting Consultants
• Advise and provide guidance/support to employees regarding work-related issues including, but not limited to, conflicts with manager/peer, role strain, performance issues, real or perceived discrimination and disability/leave management.
• Provide direct assistance to people leaders as appropriate, in the resolution of individual workplace disputes, including mediation.
• Support HR Partners and HR Leaders on people strategy to ensure a seamless overall employee experience

Case Management

• Preparation of notices related to Just and Authorized Causes of termination
• End to end case processing of terminable cases including writing Notices to Explain and Notices of Decision
• Assists Leaders in Drafting Notices and advise them on proper sanctions based on the Labor Code and the Company Standards of Professional Conduct
• Determine Disciplinary sanctions based on the Labor Code and the Company Standards of Professional Conduct and advise management on the risk decisions would take.
• Coordination with both internal/external Legal Counsel on complex cases.

Coordination

• Manage the formal complaint process including documentation for harassment, discrimination, ethical and conflict of interest complaints/issues and any others of a highly sensitive nature.
• Provide/recommend additional escalation/intervention on all complaints as appropriate.
• Provide appropriate support during large-scale interventions (e.g. trauma, business continuity)
• Manage and coordinate issues related to absenteeism and medical accommodations.
• Ensure that involuntary employee terminations are handled appropriately, within the legal and statutory requirements and in accordance with standard management practices and policies including severance.
• Manage legal issues resulting from involuntary termination or other matters directly with the employee, the employee’s legal Counsel and Manulife’s legal team as appropriate.
• Provide advice and support to employees, people leaders and HR Partners during organizational design changes or strategic cost management activities working closely with our Global ER Operations Team.

Closely monitor/track and ensure that policies, practices, and deci