Employee Relations Specialist II

Purpose: Access to affordable, reliable transportation is essential to leading productive work and personal lives, caring well for oneself, one’s family, and the needs of others. Through advanced analytics and technology, we can more accurately predict credit risk and provide more people with an affordable auto financing option for their next vehicle. That’s what GLS has done for over 10 years, helping more than half a million families meet and improve their transportation needs.

People: Join a culture of over 1,000 employees who Care Deeply and Think Boldly, driving innovation in an adaptive and positive culture that celebrates successes. We empower and reward individuals and teams who make direct, positive impacts to the business and each other, who take pride in their work and are ever-raising the bar.

Growth: Recognized by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Join GLS to grow with us!

Benefits: GLS offers the below great benefits for your amazing work!

oCompetitive base pay and performance bonuses, dependent on role

oMedical, dental, vision, telemedicine, supplemental insurance benefits, long-term and short-term disability

o401K with employer match and 100% immediate vesting

oPaid Time Off (PTO) and paid company holidays to help you balance work and personal life

oPaid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) Annually

oTuition Reimbursement

oParental Leave

oBusiness casual work environment

The Employee Relations Specialist II serves as a key liaison between employees and management, ensuring a positive and productive work environment. This role is responsible for managing complex, sensitive, and high-risk employee relations matters; advises leaders on performance management, corrective action, workplace conduct, and termination decisions; and promotes fair, consistent, and legally compliant employment practices. The position establishes standards, improves processes, analyzes trends, and coordinates with Director, HR Consulting, Legal, and other partners to mitigate employee, legal, reputational, and business risk.

Serve as the primary point of contact and escalation resource for employee relations matters, independently assessing concerns, determining appropriate response strategies, and facilitating timely resolution.

Independently plan and conduct thorough, impartial investigations into employee complaints and workplace concerns, including gathering and preserving relevant information, interviewing parties and witnesses, assessing credibility, documenting findings, and developing fact-based conclusions and recommendations.

Investigate allegations involving misconduct, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, protected activity, policy violations, and other workplace concerns under applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and company policies.

Own and govern assigned employee relations processes from intake through resolution, including standards, workflows, service levels, documentation requirements, quality controls, and continuous improvement.

Analyze employee relations case data, identify recurring themes and root causes, monitor key metrics, and present actionable insights and recommendations to Human Resources and business leaders.

Develop and maintain employee relations policies, procedures, investigation standards, templates, decision guides, and leader resources; deliver training and coaching on documentation, workplace conduct, retaliation prevention, and consistent policy application.

Partner with Director, HR Consulting, Legal, Leave and Accommodation partners, and other stakeholders on complex matters; maintain confidential records, appropriate access controls, and legally privileged communications when applicable.

Facilitate conflict resolution between employees and leaders and respond to sensitive employee situations in accordance with established escalation, safety, emergency-response, and referral protocols, coordinating with the appropriate internal and external resources.

Advise leaders on company policies, workplace issues, employee relations strategy, and compliance with applicable employment laws, using sound judgment to balance employee, legal, reputational, and business risk.

Provide strategic guidance and defensible recommendations to leaders regarding performance management, disciplinary action, performance improvement plans, and involuntary separations, promoting consistent treatment across departments and locations.

• Manage involuntary separations by preparing for termination meetings, ensuring proper documentation, and completing all necessary closeout tasks
• Handle HR related tasks related to terminations and offboarding, including drafting termination letters, uploading files, sending relevant emails, and submitting termination forms
• Process and respond to unemployment claims, ensuring timely and accurate documentation
• Prepare and participate in contested unemployment claim hearings, providing necessary evidence and supporting materials
• Gather facts and, in coordination with employment counsel and authorized company representatives, prepare accurate and timely responses to charges or inquiries from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other government agencies.
• Fosters open and transparent organizational communication, ensuring that key business and human resources information is widely shared in a format and method focused on the needs of the employee
• Lead or serve as the employee relations subject-matter expert for enterprise projects and process improvements that affect policy administration, leader capability, employee experience, compliance, or service delivery.
• Fulfill all compliance responsibilities related to the position; identify policy or process gaps, recommend improvements, lead implementation, and evaluate effectiveness.
• Perform additional assignments as required by the needs of the company or as directed by company leadership

Minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible Human Resources experience, including experience independently managing complex employee relations investigations, corrective action, performance management, and termination matters.

Demonstrated experience owning an employee relations process or program, advising senior leaders, evaluating risk, and making independent, well-supported recommendations.

Minimum of a bachelor’s degree required. In lieu of a bachelor’s degree, internal candidates who meet either of the following requirements may be considered:

• Candidates with four (4) years of total GLS experience.
• Candidates with an associate’s degree in a relevant field plus two (2) years of GLS experience.
• SHRM-SCP/CP or SPHR/PHR preferred
• Excellent organizational skills with high attention to detail and demonstrated ability to effectively manage multiple conflicting priorities
• Intrinsically motivated with demonstrated ability to take initiative, identify needs, make recommendations for improvement, see recommendations through implementation, and evaluate improvements for effectiveness
• Exceptional interpersonal skills: friendly and tactful with the ability to influence others, effectively manage conflict, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage highly sensitive and confidential information, and interact at all levels within the organization
• Proficient computer skills with working knowledge of internet and standard business applications such as Microsoft Office; Ability to quickly learn new computer applications as required
• Demonstrated proficiency in organizing resources, establishing priorities, and driving results
• Commitment to exemplifying the organizational core values and key competencie